Altitude deviation on departure.

Attributes
ACN	143560
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den tower : mli
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500
ASRS Report	143560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our clearance from clearance delivery included the denver 9 departure which includes an altitude to maintain of 10000' MSL. On the climbout we believed we were reclred to a higher altitude of FL200. As we were climbing through 12000' MSL, the departure controller told us to 'climb and maintain FL200.' it was at that time I noticed the altitude reminder was still set at 10000'. It is unclear to me whether we were previously cleared above 10000' and the altitude reminder was not reset, or we climbed above 10000' without a clearance. The controller did not seem excited in any way and I believe that a traffic conflict did not exist. No evasive action was necessary. The factors that contributed to this situation were 1) fatigue of the flight crew, 2) fixation on turbulence and thunderstorms ahead, 3) due to downsizing and imminent permanent furlough of all pilots at our airline, crew members are switching between captain and first officer as needed by the company. In this case, 2 downgraded capts were in the cockpit. I believe cockpit communication and coordination suffers when this situation exists due to both crew members being slightly uncomfortable in their assigned seats. This situation was inadvertent and one that will never happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION ON DEP.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY INCLUDED THE DENVER 9 DEP WHICH INCLUDES AN ALT TO MAINTAIN OF 10000' MSL. ON THE CLIMBOUT WE BELIEVED WE WERE RECLRED TO A HIGHER ALT OF FL200. AS WE WERE CLIMBING THROUGH 12000' MSL, THE DEP CTLR TOLD US TO 'CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FL200.' IT WAS AT THAT TIME I NOTICED THE ALT REMINDER WAS STILL SET AT 10000'. IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME WHETHER WE WERE PREVIOUSLY CLRED ABOVE 10000' AND THE ALT REMINDER WAS NOT RESET, OR WE CLIMBED ABOVE 10000' WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE CTLR DID NOT SEEM EXCITED IN ANY WAY AND I BELIEVE THAT A TFC CONFLICT DID NOT EXIST. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY. THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION WERE 1) FATIGUE OF THE FLT CREW, 2) FIXATION ON TURBULENCE AND TSTMS AHEAD, 3) DUE TO DOWNSIZING AND IMMINENT PERMANENT FURLOUGH OF ALL PLTS AT OUR AIRLINE, CREW MEMBERS ARE SWITCHING BETWEEN CAPT AND F/O AS NEEDED BY THE COMPANY. IN THIS CASE, 2 DOWNGRADED CAPTS WERE IN THE COCKPIT. I BELIEVE COCKPIT COM AND COORD SUFFERS WHEN THIS SITUATION EXISTS DUE TO BOTH CREW MEMBERS BEING SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE IN THEIR ASSIGNED SEATS. THIS SITUATION WAS INADVERTENT AND ONE THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.