Narrative:

Flying a scheduled flight from arcata to san jose. We were cleared to 15000 ft. We read this back and set 15000 ft into our altitude window. At 14000 ft the first officer stated '1000 ft to go' and I acknowledged 'roger, 1000 ft to go.' this was our last leg of the night and we were getting tired. I was using the flight director to maintain a steady 500 FPM climb, which is our company's climb profile past 5000 ft. With this in mind, it takes 20 mins to climb 10000 ft (5000 ft up to 15000 ft) and therefore, we were getting slightly complacent during the climb. Normally after the '1000 ft to go' call, I try to keep a sterile cockpit until leveloff, due to the lack of an altitude alerter. Our company policy also includes a '300 ft to go call.' the first officer and I were engaged in a conversation when he gave me the '1000 ft to go call.' as the conversation continued the first officer failed to give me a '300 ft to go' call. Because I was talking, my scan was not directed to my altitude and we began climbing through our clearance limit. At approximately 15800 ft I saw the altitude and stated 'we are cleared to 15000 ft not 16000 ft correct' and the first officer acknowledged 'that is correct.' right then ZOA stated 'what is your altitude.' I responded 'we are at 16000 ft, I understand our clearance is to 15000 ft is that correct.' center stated that was correct. I then requested a climb to 17000 ft if feasible and was cleared to 17000 ft without further incident. This problem was caused by complacency due to the repetitive nature of our legs and due to fatigue of a long day. This problem can be corrected by sticking to a sterile cockpit when within 1000 ft of leveloff without exception.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CLBED THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT BY 800 FT.

Narrative: FLYING A SCHEDULED FLT FROM ARCATA TO SAN JOSE. WE WERE CLRED TO 15000 FT. WE READ THIS BACK AND SET 15000 FT INTO OUR ALT WINDOW. AT 14000 FT THE FO STATED '1000 FT TO GO' AND I ACKNOWLEDGED 'ROGER, 1000 FT TO GO.' THIS WAS OUR LAST LEG OF THE NIGHT AND WE WERE GETTING TIRED. I WAS USING THE FLT DIRECTOR TO MAINTAIN A STEADY 500 FPM CLB, WHICH IS OUR COMPANY'S CLB PROFILE PAST 5000 FT. WITH THIS IN MIND, IT TAKES 20 MINS TO CLB 10000 FT (5000 FT UP TO 15000 FT) AND THEREFORE, WE WERE GETTING SLIGHTLY COMPLACENT DURING THE CLB. NORMALLY AFTER THE '1000 FT TO GO' CALL, I TRY TO KEEP A STERILE COCKPIT UNTIL LEVELOFF, DUE TO THE LACK OF AN ALT ALERTER. OUR COMPANY POLICY ALSO INCLUDES A '300 FT TO GO CALL.' THE FO AND I WERE ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION WHEN HE GAVE ME THE '1000 FT TO GO CALL.' AS THE CONVERSATION CONTINUED THE FO FAILED TO GIVE ME A '300 FT TO GO' CALL. BECAUSE I WAS TALKING, MY SCAN WAS NOT DIRECTED TO MY ALT AND WE BEGAN CLBING THROUGH OUR CLRNC LIMIT. AT APPROX 15800 FT I SAW THE ALT AND STATED 'WE ARE CLRED TO 15000 FT NOT 16000 FT CORRECT' AND THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED 'THAT IS CORRECT.' RIGHT THEN ZOA STATED 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT.' I RESPONDED 'WE ARE AT 16000 FT, I UNDERSTAND OUR CLRNC IS TO 15000 FT IS THAT CORRECT.' CTR STATED THAT WAS CORRECT. I THEN REQUESTED A CLB TO 17000 FT IF FEASIBLE AND WAS CLRED TO 17000 FT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY COMPLACENCY DUE TO THE REPETITIVE NATURE OF OUR LEGS AND DUE TO FATIGUE OF A LONG DAY. THIS PROB CAN BE CORRECTED BY STICKING TO A STERILE COCKPIT WHEN WITHIN 1000 FT OF LEVELOFF WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

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.