Narrative:

In 4/89 I was a passenger in an small transport which departed beckley, wv, on an IFR flight plan in the early pm. We were cleared to 6000' and then 8000'. Southwest of the bluefield VOR on the arwy the controller cleared us to climb to 9000'. I was communicating on the radio and repeated the clearance. Shortly thereafter the controller called for traffic at our 11 O'clock position and 5 mi at 10000'. During the climb we found the traffic which was now at our 12:30 position and about 5 mi. I confirmed that we had the traffic in sight to the controller. I immediately noticed that the pilot had climbed through the assigned altitude and was almost at 9500'. He immediately descended and stated they had heard the clearance to 10000'. Passing down through 9200' the controller called and asked us to confirm our altitude. I told him that we were at 9200' descending back to 9000'. I am reporting this because I was operating the radios and am a qualified pilot. I was not flying the aircraft. The meteorological conditions were scattered to broken clouds at 4000', tops at 6000-7000', visibility was in excess of 25 mi. Factors contributing to the variation in altitude were: 1) the original clearance to expect 10000' in 10 mins, 2) the traffic reported at 10000', 3) pilot not acknowledging clrncs and lack of cockpit communication, and 4) I was distracted by trying to start a faulty heater and we were cold. The remainder of the trip was normal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ON AIRWAY OVERSHOT ALT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: IN 4/89 I WAS A PAX IN AN SMT WHICH DEPARTED BECKLEY, WV, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN THE EARLY PM. WE WERE CLRED TO 6000' AND THEN 8000'. SW OF THE BLUEFIELD VOR ON THE ARWY THE CTLR CLRED US TO CLB TO 9000'. I WAS COMMUNICATING ON THE RADIO AND REPEATED THE CLRNC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR CALLED FOR TFC AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI AT 10000'. DURING THE CLB WE FOUND THE TFC WHICH WAS NOW AT OUR 12:30 POS AND ABOUT 5 MI. I CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT TO THE CTLR. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE PLT HAD CLBED THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT AND WAS ALMOST AT 9500'. HE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED AND STATED THEY HAD HEARD THE CLRNC TO 10000'. PASSING DOWN THROUGH 9200' THE CTLR CALLED AND ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE AT 9200' DSNDING BACK TO 9000'. I AM RPTING THIS BECAUSE I WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS AND AM A QUALIFIED PLT. I WAS NOT FLYING THE ACFT. THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS AT 4000', TOPS AT 6000-7000', VISIBILITY WAS IN EXCESS OF 25 MI. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE VARIATION IN ALT WERE: 1) THE ORIGINAL CLRNC TO EXPECT 10000' IN 10 MINS, 2) THE TFC RPTED AT 10000', 3) PLT NOT ACKNOWLEDGING CLRNCS AND LACK OF COCKPIT COM, AND 4) I WAS DISTRACTED BY TRYING TO START A FAULTY HEATER AND WE WERE COLD. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP WAS NORMAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.