Commuter aircraft exceeds assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	223082
Time
Date	199210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : den
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	223082
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Although 10000 ft MSL is considered to be boundary for critical phase of flight, many airport's have high workload up through maybe FL200, denver is no exception. I'm constantly telling coplts I fly with to not perform distracting duty's that are not necessary until we leave the busy area of departure control and level at cruise with center. Since company allows crews to do their own thing, coplts will fly with one captain who likes music from gate to gate, to captain's after takeoff closing doors and pulling magazine or newspapers. So since coplts generally pick habits of the people they fly with, a poor habit pattern is developed for safe, violation free flight, as my copilot leaving 10000 ft called company with departure times and grabbing trip log before I knew it asking me number of people etc. (The stage was set). At that instant climbing out of 12200 (assigned FL120) I said holy XXX. Started correcting (12300 plus) approach called and amended our altitude to FL130. No conflict was evident with any other aircraft. I've decided for now I'm hiding trip log under my seat, out of reach! As a side note the altitude alert gives a tone and light at 1000 ft to go and light only for assigned altitude. We have flight directors, but no altitude capture capability.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT EXCEEDS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH 10000 FT MSL IS CONSIDERED TO BE BOUNDARY FOR CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT, MANY ARPT'S HAVE HIGH WORKLOAD UP THROUGH MAYBE FL200, DENVER IS NO EXCEPTION. I'M CONSTANTLY TELLING COPLTS I FLY WITH TO NOT PERFORM DISTRACTING DUTY'S THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY UNTIL WE LEAVE THE BUSY AREA OF DEP CTL AND LEVEL AT CRUISE WITH CTR. SINCE COMPANY ALLOWS CREWS TO DO THEIR OWN THING, COPLTS WILL FLY WITH ONE CAPT WHO LIKES MUSIC FROM GATE TO GATE, TO CAPT'S AFTER TKOF CLOSING DOORS AND PULLING MAGAZINE OR NEWSPAPERS. SO SINCE COPLTS GENERALLY PICK HABITS OF THE PEOPLE THEY FLY WITH, A POOR HABIT PATTERN IS DEVELOPED FOR SAFE, VIOLATION FREE FLT, AS MY COPLT LEAVING 10000 FT CALLED COMPANY WITH DEP TIMES AND GRABBING TRIP LOG BEFORE I KNEW IT ASKING ME NUMBER OF PEOPLE ETC. (THE STAGE WAS SET). AT THAT INSTANT CLBING OUT OF 12200 (ASSIGNED FL120) I SAID HOLY XXX. STARTED CORRECTING (12300 PLUS) APCH CALLED AND AMENDED OUR ALT TO FL130. NO CONFLICT WAS EVIDENT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT. I'VE DECIDED FOR NOW I'M HIDING TRIP LOG UNDER MY SEAT, OUT OF REACH! AS A SIDE NOTE THE ALT ALERT GIVES A TONE AND LIGHT AT 1000 FT TO GO AND LIGHT ONLY FOR ASSIGNED ALT. WE HAVE FLT DIRECTORS, BUT NO ALT CAPTURE CAPABILITY.

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.