Air carrier mdt altitude overshot in climb out of dca.

Attributes
ACN	156447
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 19850 flight time type : 9700
ASRS Report	156447
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Takeoff clearance from dca was 050 degree vector to ott VORTAC, 2000' expect 8000'. The first officer was flying the aircraft. Company policy is no actions other than essential prior to 1500' AGL. After passing 1500' AGL I, as PNF, commenced the after takeoff checklist and associated duties. As I completed these items, approach control asked what our altitude was. I responded 3500' (it is normal to receive a climb to 4000' on initial contact with the departure controller). The controller advised our clearance was 2000' and then cleared us to 4000'. The primary cause of this incident was the deterioration of flight crew performance. We had started the day leaving our overnight in the early morning hours, some 15 hours prior to the incident and had accumulated 7.5 hours of block time. In addition, the aircraft autoplt was inoperative the entire day, adding additional workload. The previous flts had been in a severe WX watch area requiring numerous deviations. The cockpit crew performance had deteriorated slowly through out the day, was unrecognized, and resulted in this occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT ALT OVERSHOT IN CLIMB OUT OF DCA.

Narrative: TKOF CLRNC FROM DCA WAS 050 DEG VECTOR TO OTT VORTAC, 2000' EXPECT 8000'. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT. COMPANY POLICY IS NO ACTIONS OTHER THAN ESSENTIAL PRIOR TO 1500' AGL. AFTER PASSING 1500' AGL I, AS PNF, COMMENCED THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST AND ASSOCIATED DUTIES. AS I COMPLETED THESE ITEMS, APCH CTL ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. I RESPONDED 3500' (IT IS NORMAL TO RECEIVE A CLB TO 4000' ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE DEP CTLR). THE CTLR ADVISED OUR CLRNC WAS 2000' AND THEN CLRED US TO 4000'. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THE DETERIORATION OF FLT CREW PERFORMANCE. WE HAD STARTED THE DAY LEAVING OUR OVERNIGHT IN THE EARLY MORNING HRS, SOME 15 HRS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND HAD ACCUMULATED 7.5 HRS OF BLOCK TIME. IN ADDITION, THE ACFT AUTOPLT WAS INOPERATIVE THE ENTIRE DAY, ADDING ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD. THE PREVIOUS FLTS HAD BEEN IN A SEVERE WX WATCH AREA REQUIRING NUMEROUS DEVS. THE COCKPIT CREW PERFORMANCE HAD DETERIORATED SLOWLY THROUGH OUT THE DAY, WAS UNRECOGNIZED, AND RESULTED IN THIS OCCURRENCE.

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.