Narrative:

The deviation from assigned altitude occurred because of a nose gear light. Shortly after takeoff from redding airport, we experienced a nose wheel warning light indicating that the nose wheel had failed to lock in the up position. After cycling the gear twice, the light failed to go out. I (copilot) read the checklist and it was decided to leave the gear down and proceed to the destination. Shortly after, within 10-20 seconds of our decision, I requested to cycle the gear one last time. The captain agreed and the gear was cycled. On this last attempt the nose wheel locked into the up position. During this time the captain failed to level off at 4000' MSL. At 4300' MSL the mistake was brought to our attention by the arrival altitude warning system. During our level off and subsequent descent, ATC advised us of our error, and firmly reconfirmed 4000' MSL. The rest of the flight was normal. Captain (PF) and copilot both became preoccupied with light. The deviation from assigned altitude (4000') was discovered upon passing 4300', which set off our altitude alert system's aural warning. Captain confirmed assigned altitude, leveled off and descended back to 4000' (level off was accomplished by 4600' MSL). Human performance factors: 1) the PF diverted too much attention to the problem and not enough attention to his primary function--flying the aircraft. 2) although the primary function of the PNF was to address the abnormality, he should have been aware of the captain's failure to level off. Also may have been untimely to ask for one last cycle of the gear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR LTT ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT AS FLY CREW WAS TRYING TO GET THE NOSE GEAR TO RETRACT.

Narrative: THE DEVIATION FROM ASSIGNED ALT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A NOSE GEAR LIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM REDDING ARPT, WE EXPERIENCED A NOSE WHEEL WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE NOSE WHEEL HAD FAILED TO LOCK IN THE UP POS. AFTER CYCLING THE GEAR TWICE, THE LIGHT FAILED TO GO OUT. I (COPLT) READ THE CHKLIST AND IT WAS DECIDED TO LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN AND PROCEED TO THE DEST. SHORTLY AFTER, WITHIN 10-20 SECS OF OUR DECISION, I REQUESTED TO CYCLE THE GEAR ONE LAST TIME. THE CAPT AGREED AND THE GEAR WAS CYCLED. ON THIS LAST ATTEMPT THE NOSE WHEEL LOCKED INTO THE UP POS. DURING THIS TIME THE CAPT FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT 4000' MSL. AT 4300' MSL THE MISTAKE WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN BY THE ARR ALT WARNING SYS. DURING OUR LEVEL OFF AND SUBSEQUENT DSNT, ATC ADVISED US OF OUR ERROR, AND FIRMLY RECONFIRMED 4000' MSL. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. CAPT (PF) AND COPLT BOTH BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH LIGHT. THE DEVIATION FROM ASSIGNED ALT (4000') WAS DISCOVERED UPON PASSING 4300', WHICH SET OFF OUR ALT ALERT SYSTEM'S AURAL WARNING. CAPT CONFIRMED ASSIGNED ALT, LEVELED OFF AND DSNDED BACK TO 4000' (LEVEL OFF WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY 4600' MSL). HUMAN PERFORMANCE FACTORS: 1) THE PF DIVERTED TOO MUCH ATTN TO THE PROB AND NOT ENOUGH ATTN TO HIS PRIMARY FUNCTION--FLYING THE ACFT. 2) ALTHOUGH THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE PNF WAS TO ADDRESS THE ABNORMALITY, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE CAPT'S FAILURE TO LEVEL OFF. ALSO MAY HAVE BEEN UNTIMELY TO ASK FOR ONE LAST CYCLE OF THE GEAR.

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.