Altitude overshoot on climb out.

Attributes
ACN	293913
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : grr
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29320
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	293913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Altitude deviation. First officer was flying the airplane, we were climbing to FL290. At FL280 I called 1000 ft. While going through FL290 on my altimeter. The first officer leveled the airplane but overshot the altitude by 320 ft. Contributing factors: 1) split of about 150 ft between captain and first officer altimeters. When I called altitude of FL290, the first officer's altimeter was showing about 29150 ft with the mode C selected to his altimeter. Although legal, if the captain and first officer's altimeters were better matched, I don't think we would have overshot the altitude by more than 200 ft. 2) excessive talking and forgetting flight duties. We should have watched the airplane closer until we leveled off. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the dc-9 for a low cost carrier. He has not heard from the FAA on this. The ARTCC radar controller did ask about the altitude after the aircraft was back down on altitude. The reporter has not heard from the FAA on this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT ON CLBOUT.

Narrative: ALTDEV. FO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE, WE WERE CLBING TO FL290. AT FL280 I CALLED 1000 FT. WHILE GOING THROUGH FL290 ON MY ALTIMETER. THE FO LEVELED THE AIRPLANE BUT OVERSHOT THE ALT BY 320 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) SPLIT OF ABOUT 150 FT BTWN CAPT AND FO ALTIMETERS. WHEN I CALLED ALT OF FL290, THE FO'S ALTIMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 29150 FT WITH THE MODE C SELECTED TO HIS ALTIMETER. ALTHOUGH LEGAL, IF THE CAPT AND FO'S ALTIMETERS WERE BETTER MATCHED, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE OVERSHOT THE ALT BY MORE THAN 200 FT. 2) EXCESSIVE TALKING AND FORGETTING FLT DUTIES. WE SHOULD HAVE WATCHED THE AIRPLANE CLOSER UNTIL WE LEVELED OFF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE DC-9 FOR A LOW COST CARRIER. HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR DID ASK ABOUT THE ALT AFTER THE ACFT WAS BACK DOWN ON ALT. THE RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS INCIDENT.

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.