Light transport overshot assigned altitude during departure from mem.

Attributes
ACN	170662
Time
Date	199102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2300
ASRS Report	170662
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon departure off 36R at mem, the captain and I were cleared to climb to 3000'. At approximately 2600' the captain pointed out traffic passing our 12 O'clock. The aircraft was an medium large transport climbing out above and around us. We were both in a right turn to the south. The captain and I both were busy watching the medium large transport when I looked back down and saw we were at 3600'. Immediately I began to correct back to 3000', when departure control called and asked if we had the medium large transport in sight we had been watching. The captain replied, 'yes,' and we were issued a climb clearance to 9000'. Nothing was said to us by the controller about the altitude deviation. The reason for this occurrence was complacency and failure to monitor the altimeter as I should have. The captain also did not give me a 300' to go call as we usually practice but I still should have caught it. I feel this would never have happened if our cheap company would install altitude alert systems on our aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING DEP FROM MEM.

Narrative: UPON DEP OFF 36R AT MEM, THE CAPT AND I WERE CLRED TO CLB TO 3000'. AT APPROX 2600' THE CAPT POINTED OUT TFC PASSING OUR 12 O'CLOCK. THE ACFT WAS AN MLG CLBING OUT ABOVE AND AROUND US. WE WERE BOTH IN A RIGHT TURN TO THE S. THE CAPT AND I BOTH WERE BUSY WATCHING THE MLG WHEN I LOOKED BACK DOWN AND SAW WE WERE AT 3600'. IMMEDIATELY I BEGAN TO CORRECT BACK TO 3000', WHEN DEP CTL CALLED AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE MLG IN SIGHT WE HAD BEEN WATCHING. THE CAPT REPLIED, 'YES,' AND WE WERE ISSUED A CLB CLRNC TO 9000'. NOTHING WAS SAID TO US BY THE CTLR ABOUT THE ALT DEVIATION. THE REASON FOR THIS OCCURRENCE WAS COMPLACENCY AND FAILURE TO MONITOR THE ALTIMETER AS I SHOULD HAVE. THE CAPT ALSO DID NOT GIVE ME A 300' TO GO CALL AS WE USUALLY PRACTICE BUT I STILL SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT. I FEEL THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF OUR CHEAP COMPANY WOULD INSTALL ALT ALERT SYSTEMS ON OUR ACFT.

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.