Narrative:

While climbing out of cid, center advised to 'climb to 15000 ft. Traffic at 16000 ft, will have higher when clear.' while passing through 12000 ft the #1 propeller governor started to lose control (plus or minus 1.5%). This problem happened earlier in the day and was found to be within tolerances, so the captain paid it no attention. I (PF) decided to try and adjust the condition levers (while hand flying the aircraft) and saw that I was passing through 13000 ft. Essentially I had become preoccupied with the situation (the propellers) and was waiting to hear the altitude alerter, which of course malfunctioned, so we naturally passed through our altitude by approximately 800 ft when I had noticed it. The alerter never signalled in either the pre or post 400 ft alarm mode as it is designed to do. (In fact, as it turned out, it would only malfunction in climb inside as we after discovered). Additionally the captain had gotten preoccupied with some company paperwork, so that he had missed his '1000 ft to go' call. Just as I had noticed the altitude and started to level off the controller came on and said that we can continue climb to 23000 ft. No mention was made of our altitude and no deviations of any kind were necessary. In fact I don't believe the controller noticed at all. In any event, I feel the problem arose from my reliance on the equipment (namely the altitude alerter), and the captain's attention being taken away to perform company business.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST. MINOR ACFT EQUIP PROB.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF CID, CTR ADVISED TO 'CLB TO 15000 FT. TFC AT 16000 FT, WILL HAVE HIGHER WHEN CLR.' WHILE PASSING THROUGH 12000 FT THE #1 PROP GOVERNOR STARTED TO LOSE CTL (PLUS OR MINUS 1.5%). THIS PROB HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE DAY AND WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN TOLERANCES, SO THE CAPT PAID IT NO ATTN. I (PF) DECIDED TO TRY AND ADJUST THE CONDITION LEVERS (WHILE HAND FLYING THE ACFT) AND SAW THAT I WAS PASSING THROUGH 13000 FT. ESSENTIALLY I HAD BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE SIT (THE PROPS) AND WAS WAITING TO HEAR THE ALT ALERTER, WHICH OF COURSE MALFUNCTIONED, SO WE NATURALLY PASSED THROUGH OUR ALT BY APPROX 800 FT WHEN I HAD NOTICED IT. THE ALERTER NEVER SIGNALLED IN EITHER THE PRE OR POST 400 FT ALARM MODE AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO. (IN FACT, AS IT TURNED OUT, IT WOULD ONLY MALFUNCTION IN CLB INSIDE AS WE AFTER DISCOVERED). ADDITIONALLY THE CAPT HAD GOTTEN PREOCCUPIED WITH SOME COMPANY PAPERWORK, SO THAT HE HAD MISSED HIS '1000 FT TO GO' CALL. JUST AS I HAD NOTICED THE ALT AND STARTED TO LEVEL OFF THE CTLR CAME ON AND SAID THAT WE CAN CONTINUE CLB TO 23000 FT. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF OUR ALT AND NO DEVS OF ANY KIND WERE NECESSARY. IN FACT I DON'T BELIEVE THE CTLR NOTICED AT ALL. IN ANY EVENT, I FEEL THE PROB AROSE FROM MY RELIANCE ON THE EQUIP (NAMELY THE ALT ALERTER), AND THE CAPT'S ATTN BEING TAKEN AWAY TO PERFORM COMPANY BUSINESS.

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.