Narrative:

A well-equipped twin small transport departed robinson, il airport with IFR clearance to sam, dyr, middy intersection, with mem as destination. I was PIC and had as copilot an experience ATP pilot which our company used occasionally when our pilots were not available. As we departed robinson southwest, terre haute cleared us to maintain 16000' and contact ZKC on 127.7 MHZ. (The copilot was flying this trip from the right eat and felt he needed hands on time so the autoplt was not being used--although I dutifully set the altitude on the alerter each time we were assigned a different altitude.) initial contact with ZKC brought a thoughtful response to maintain 10000'--which I acknowledged. I became preoccupied with trying to get a return on radar as the WX ahead was darkening and appeared like we might want a possible deviation from course. Thus with radar fixation I allowed the other pilot to bust our altitude. The alerter was visible as 10000' when ZKC asked us if we had received clearance to maintain 10000'. A panic look at the altimeter confirmed we had continued past 10000 to 10800', at which point I acknowledged that we had received the clearance. ZKC's tone indicated the terrible error and they cleared us on to 16000'. I was apologetic to mkc as I realize the consequences of such actions which I do not condone in myself or others. The copilot in the past has indicated that he does not have total cockpit involvement. He becomes so intent on flying a perfect set of INS that he becomes oblivious to radio communications and navigation. Even when I am flying he is not a good backup for me--in fact, I handle all communications when I am flying with him. I believe that when you fly with an individual of this caliber you must realize (and I thought I did) the increased demands made upon the PIC. ZKC did not indicate they would file against me--nonetheless it's still an indictment against me and the aircraft I command.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE SMT OVERSHOOTS ALT OF 10000' CLIMBING OUT OF ROBINSON, IL ARPT DUE TO DISTR WITH WX RADAR BY THE PNF, AND COMPLETE OBLIVIOUSNESS AS TO THE CLRNC ON THE PART OF THE PF.

Narrative: A WELL-EQUIPPED TWIN SMT DEPARTED ROBINSON, IL ARPT WITH IFR CLRNC TO SAM, DYR, MIDDY INTXN, WITH MEM AS DEST. I WAS PIC AND HAD AS COPLT AN EXPERIENCE ATP PLT WHICH OUR COMPANY USED OCCASIONALLY WHEN OUR PLTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. AS WE DEPARTED ROBINSON SW, TERRE HAUTE CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 16000' AND CONTACT ZKC ON 127.7 MHZ. (THE COPLT WAS FLYING THIS TRIP FROM THE RIGHT EAT AND FELT HE NEEDED HANDS ON TIME SO THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT BEING USED--ALTHOUGH I DUTIFULLY SET THE ALT ON THE ALERTER EACH TIME WE WERE ASSIGNED A DIFFERENT ALT.) INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZKC BROUGHT A THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE TO MAINTAIN 10000'--WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. I BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO GET A RETURN ON RADAR AS THE WX AHEAD WAS DARKENING AND APPEARED LIKE WE MIGHT WANT A POSSIBLE DEVIATION FROM COURSE. THUS WITH RADAR FIXATION I ALLOWED THE OTHER PLT TO BUST OUR ALT. THE ALERTER WAS VISIBLE AS 10000' WHEN ZKC ASKED US IF WE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 10000'. A PANIC LOOK AT THE ALTIMETER CONFIRMED WE HAD CONTINUED PAST 10000 TO 10800', AT WHICH POINT I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE HAD RECEIVED THE CLRNC. ZKC'S TONE INDICATED THE TERRIBLE ERROR AND THEY CLRED US ON TO 16000'. I WAS APOLOGETIC TO MKC AS I REALIZE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH ACTIONS WHICH I DO NOT CONDONE IN MYSELF OR OTHERS. THE COPLT IN THE PAST HAS INDICATED THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE TOTAL COCKPIT INVOLVEMENT. HE BECOMES SO INTENT ON FLYING A PERFECT SET OF INS THAT HE BECOMES OBLIVIOUS TO RADIO COMS AND NAV. EVEN WHEN I AM FLYING HE IS NOT A GOOD BACKUP FOR ME--IN FACT, I HANDLE ALL COMS WHEN I AM FLYING WITH HIM. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU FLY WITH AN INDIVIDUAL OF THIS CALIBER YOU MUST REALIZE (AND I THOUGHT I DID) THE INCREASED DEMANDS MADE UPON THE PIC. ZKC DID NOT INDICATE THEY WOULD FILE AGAINST ME--NONETHELESS IT'S STILL AN INDICTMENT AGAINST ME AND THE ACFT I COMMAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.