Flight crew of an light transport overshot assigned departure climb altitude due to WX distraction.

Attributes
ACN	277655
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	277655
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing out of mem, I was the PNF (captain). I believed we were cleared to 5000 ft. I was looking outside of the aircraft and also the inbound radar at a line of WX, just 5- 10 mi to the west of our position. I was also discussing the best possible route through the WX with departure control. I then looked at the altimeter and noticed we were climbing through 7000 ft with the vsi at 800-1000 ft up. I then called the PF's attention to this and he started levelling off immediately. I was talking to mem departure throughout this time. I then asked mem departure to verify the altitude we were cleared to and I was advised to climb and maintain 10000 ft. The problem started with the WX and not only myself not observing the altitude but also the PF looking at the WX. The particular aircraft has no altitude alert system and the pilots that fly these types of aircraft usually put the altitude they were cleared to in the ADF. This is a visual clue, but has no aural warning us in an altitude select system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DEP CLB ALT DUE TO WX DISTR.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF MEM, I WAS THE PNF (CAPT). I BELIEVED WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT AND ALSO THE INBOUND RADAR AT A LINE OF WX, JUST 5- 10 MI TO THE W OF OUR POS. I WAS ALSO DISCUSSING THE BEST POSSIBLE RTE THROUGH THE WX WITH DEP CTL. I THEN LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER AND NOTICED WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 7000 FT WITH THE VSI AT 800-1000 FT UP. I THEN CALLED THE PF'S ATTN TO THIS AND HE STARTED LEVELLING OFF IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TALKING TO MEM DEP THROUGHOUT THIS TIME. I THEN ASKED MEM DEP TO VERIFY THE ALT WE WERE CLRED TO AND I WAS ADVISED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT. THE PROB STARTED WITH THE WX AND NOT ONLY MYSELF NOT OBSERVING THE ALT BUT ALSO THE PF LOOKING AT THE WX. THE PARTICULAR ACFT HAS NO ALT ALERT SYS AND THE PLTS THAT FLY THESE TYPES OF ACFT USUALLY PUT THE ALT THEY WERE CLRED TO IN THE ADF. THIS IS A VISUAL CLUE, BUT HAS NO AURAL WARNING US IN AN ALT SELECT SYS.

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.