Narrative:

On initial contact with departure, I was instructed to 'stop the climb at 3000'. I acknowledged. 30 seconds later, I requested a destination change. Shortly, I received a new clearance and was instructed to climb and maintain 13,000. I acknowledged the new clearance and reported out of 1500 for 13 thousand. Within a min, same controller instructed me to stop climb at 3000 and I reported out of 2 for 3. I then started readjusting the engines for climb confign which diverted me from my new altitude restriction of 3000. The distraction of a new clearance and delayed climb procedures (both pilot induced) was broken when the controller called as I was passing 4000 (headed for 13) and said I was supposed to be at 3000 and had 1 O'clock traffic at 4500. By the time he said 3000, I was in a steep descent and then called the traffic in sight, well clear. Rushing the destination change and performing normal procedures out of sequence, I increased my workload unnecessarily, did not keep a hard restriction in the information loop, and created a potential hazard. Good thing the controller had his information loop intact! One item that may have helped me: knowing that there was opposite direction traffic above me, would have tended to force me to pay attention to that quadrant outside the aircraft and keep the restriction in the current management loop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT ADVISED TO LEVEL AT 3000 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'STOP THE CLIMB AT 3000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED. 30 SECONDS LATER, I REQUESTED A DEST CHANGE. SHORTLY, I RECEIVED A NEW CLRNC AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 13,000. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW CLRNC AND REPORTED OUT OF 1500 FOR 13 THOUSAND. WITHIN A MIN, SAME CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO STOP CLIMB AT 3000 AND I REPORTED OUT OF 2 FOR 3. I THEN STARTED READJUSTING THE ENGINES FOR CLIMB CONFIGN WHICH DIVERTED ME FROM MY NEW ALT RESTRICTION OF 3000. THE DISTR OF A NEW CLRNC AND DELAYED CLIMB PROCS (BOTH PLT INDUCED) WAS BROKEN WHEN THE CTLR CALLED AS I WAS PASSING 4000 (HEADED FOR 13) AND SAID I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 3000 AND HAD 1 O'CLOCK TFC AT 4500. BY THE TIME HE SAID 3000, I WAS IN A STEEP DSCNT AND THEN CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT, WELL CLEAR. RUSHING THE DEST CHANGE AND PERFORMING NORMAL PROCS OUT OF SEQUENCE, I INCREASED MY WORKLOAD UNNECESSARILY, DID NOT KEEP A HARD RESTRICTION IN THE INFO LOOP, AND CREATED A POTENTIAL HAZARD. GOOD THING THE CTLR HAD HIS INFO LOOP INTACT! ONE ITEM THAT MAY HAVE HELPED ME: KNOWING THAT THERE WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC ABOVE ME, WOULD HAVE TENDED TO FORCE ME TO PAY ATTN TO THAT QUADRANT OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND KEEP THE RESTRICTION IN THE CURRENT MGMNT LOOP.

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.