Altitude deviation. Overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	129037
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwz
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	129037
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying and is my habit once the copilot read back to ATC our cleared altitude of FL200, I repeated it. During the climb I turned off the seat belt sign and the copilot made the obligatory FAA announcement. While thinking about the horrendously severe winds we were experiencing along the east coast the past 2 days on all of our lndgs and reviewing our handling of the conditions, I heard, in the background of my mind, the altitude alert go off. I gently leveled off, almost imperceptibly to the passenger, and smoothly set the power. Just as we were all stabilized, the copilot finished his announcement, took a good look at our altitude and immediately noted the discrepancy that we were cleared to FL200 and were at FL210! I immediately descended, and as we approached FL200, ATC asked us our altitude. We responded that we were correcting to FL200.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AND IS MY HABIT ONCE THE COPLT READ BACK TO ATC OUR CLRED ALT OF FL200, I REPEATED IT. DURING THE CLIMB I TURNED OFF THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND THE COPLT MADE THE OBLIGATORY FAA ANNOUNCEMENT. WHILE THINKING ABOUT THE HORRENDOUSLY SEVERE WINDS WE WERE EXPERIENCING ALONG THE E COAST THE PAST 2 DAYS ON ALL OF OUR LNDGS AND REVIEWING OUR HANDLING OF THE CONDITIONS, I HEARD, IN THE BACKGROUND OF MY MIND, THE ALT ALERT GO OFF. I GENTLY LEVELED OFF, ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY TO THE PAX, AND SMOOTHLY SET THE POWER. JUST AS WE WERE ALL STABILIZED, THE COPLT FINISHED HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, TOOK A GOOD LOOK AT OUR ALT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE DISCREPANCY THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL200 AND WERE AT FL210! I IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED, AND AS WE APCHED FL200, ATC ASKED US OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CORRECTING TO FL200.

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.