Narrative:

Sfo to geg -- captain's leg (first leg of the day). During climb to FL230 (assigned) ZOA advised us of traffic at 2 O'clock, 30 mi, at FL200, identifying it as an fgt Y. Oak changed our altitude clearance to FL190, and I acknowledged. Set 190 in the altitude alert. There was a short discussion in the cockpit about how difficult it would be to see the fgt Y at 30 mi. At FL180 the altimeters were set to 29.92, '18 for 19', 'one to go' were announced in the cockpit. As we approached FL190 ZOA reported fgt Y at 2:30 at 5 mi. I looked outside for the traffic, spotted it, reported 'visual' to ZOA, and gave a position to the cockpit. Shortly thereafter I heard the altitude alert signal, the captain was applying forward control and my altimeter peaked at close to 19,400' MSL. The traffic passed well behind. As we descended through FL192 ZOA asked for our altitude. The captain reported it with an apology for the bump above FL190. The next ZOA sector advised us of a 'possible altitude deviation to FL195' and provided phone numbers. ZOA advisories of this traffic with specific statements of '[secret experimental] fgt' rather than simply 'traffic' while of interest, appears to have caused an interest that was unnecessarily distracting during a transition phase of flight. Supplemental information from acn 143798: I think the situation was made a little unordinary by the controller who emphasized the traffic as an fgt and as pilots we placed more than normal attention outside the aircraft to try to see the traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT IN CLIMB, LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION RESULTS WITH FGT Y.

Narrative: SFO TO GEG -- CAPT'S LEG (FIRST LEG OF THE DAY). DURING CLIMB TO FL230 (ASSIGNED) ZOA ADVISED US OF TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK, 30 MI, AT FL200, IDENTIFYING IT AS AN FGT Y. OAK CHANGED OUR ALT CLRNC TO FL190, AND I ACKNOWLEDGED. SET 190 IN THE ALT ALERT. THERE WAS A SHORT DISCUSSION IN THE COCKPIT ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO SEE THE FGT Y AT 30 MI. AT FL180 THE ALTIMETERS WERE SET TO 29.92, '18 FOR 19', 'ONE TO GO' WERE ANNOUNCED IN THE COCKPIT. AS WE APCHED FL190 ZOA REPORTED FGT Y AT 2:30 AT 5 MI. I LOOKED OUTSIDE FOR THE TFC, SPOTTED IT, REPORTED 'VISUAL' TO ZOA, AND GAVE A POSITION TO THE COCKPIT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I HEARD THE ALT ALERT SIGNAL, THE CAPT WAS APPLYING FORWARD CONTROL AND MY ALTIMETER PEAKED AT CLOSE TO 19,400' MSL. THE TFC PASSED WELL BEHIND. AS WE DESCENDED THROUGH FL192 ZOA ASKED FOR OUR ALT. THE CAPT REPORTED IT WITH AN APOLOGY FOR THE BUMP ABOVE FL190. THE NEXT ZOA SECTOR ADVISED US OF A 'POSSIBLE ALT DEVIATION TO FL195' AND PROVIDED PHONE NUMBERS. ZOA ADVISORIES OF THIS TFC WITH SPECIFIC STATEMENTS OF '[SECRET EXPERIMENTAL] FGT' RATHER THAN SIMPLY 'TFC' WHILE OF INTEREST, APPEARS TO HAVE CAUSED AN INTEREST THAT WAS UNNECESSARILY DISTRACTING DURING A TRANSITION PHASE OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 143798: I THINK THE SITUATION WAS MADE A LITTLE UNORDINARY BY THE CTLR WHO EMPHASIZED THE TFC AS AN FGT AND AS PLTS WE PLACED MORE THAN NORMAL ATTN OUTSIDE THE ACFT TO TRY TO SEE THE TFC.

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.