Mlt altitude overhshot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	156549
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ott
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	156549
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying mlt back from europe on military operation, inadvertently climbed through our assigned altitude. We were presently diverting from our originally planned leg of leto direct kaow. Overhead kaow we made plans to divert to kchs (charleston AFB, sc) due to operational changes. As we were climbing out, ZDC assigned us to 12000'. Meanwhile, I was checking our route out on the charts. While the other pilot was flying. I glanced up after hearing the altitude warning and noticed we were not about 12600', I took over control from the other pilot. Right after the other pilot said I thought we were cleared to 18000'. Center advised us to stop our climb and then to maintain 13000'. I blame part of this on crew duty days exceeding 24 hour days with every waking day of being up between 24-36 hours, an inadequate altitude warning alert which is much quieter than civilian airplanes and of course part as usual is crew error. ZDC (frequency 133.9) assured us this deviation caused no problems or conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT ALT OVERHSHOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: FLYING MLT BACK FROM EUROPE ON MIL OPERATION, INADVERTENTLY CLBED THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE WERE PRESENTLY DIVERTING FROM OUR ORIGINALLY PLANNED LEG OF LETO DIRECT KAOW. OVERHEAD KAOW WE MADE PLANS TO DIVERT TO KCHS (CHARLESTON AFB, SC) DUE TO OPERATIONAL CHANGES. AS WE WERE CLBING OUT, ZDC ASSIGNED US TO 12000'. MEANWHILE, I WAS CHKING OUR RTE OUT ON THE CHARTS. WHILE THE OTHER PLT WAS FLYING. I GLANCED UP AFTER HEARING THE ALT WARNING AND NOTICED WE WERE NOT ABOUT 12600', I TOOK OVER CTL FROM THE OTHER PLT. RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER PLT SAID I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 18000'. CTR ADVISED US TO STOP OUR CLB AND THEN TO MAINTAIN 13000'. I BLAME PART OF THIS ON CREW DUTY DAYS EXCEEDING 24 HR DAYS WITH EVERY WAKING DAY OF BEING UP BTWN 24-36 HRS, AN INADEQUATE ALT WARNING ALERT WHICH IS MUCH QUIETER THAN CIVILIAN AIRPLANES AND OF COURSE PART AS USUAL IS CREW ERROR. ZDC (FREQ 133.9) ASSURED US THIS DEV CAUSED NO PROBS OR CONFLICTS.

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.