Narrative:

On climb out of cll we were assigned 8000 ft. We were experiencing light chop and discussed climbing up to 10000 ft. I attempted to contact ZHU with the request, but believe the transmission was blocked. I received no reply. At this time our cll operations called us with a question on communication #2. I switched over to talk and failed to tell the first officer. I was distracted by company for about 1 1/2 mins. Just when I was 'signing off,' ZHU asked us to verify altitude, which was 8800 ft and climbing, we were assigned 8000 ft and had that altitude set in our window. I told ZHU 8800 ft and asked what they would like us to do. ZHU asked us if we wanted 10000 ft. We replied affirmative, climbed to 10000 ft and continued flight without further incident. The problem arose by me not notifying the first officer that I was 'off communication #1' believing I could monitor both radios. Additional factors were the first officer's disregard for our preset altitude and my failure to monitor flight operations. Strict adherence to company procedure would have eliminated this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION. THE FLC DISCUSSED CLBING FROM 8000 FT TO 10000 FT, BUT THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO THEIR REQUEST. LATER, WHILE THE CAPT WAS DISTRACTED, THE FO STARTED TO CLB.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF CLL WE WERE ASSIGNED 8000 FT. WE WERE EXPERIENCING LIGHT CHOP AND DISCUSSED CLBING UP TO 10000 FT. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZHU WITH THE REQUEST, BUT BELIEVE THE XMISSION WAS BLOCKED. I RECEIVED NO REPLY. AT THIS TIME OUR CLL OPS CALLED US WITH A QUESTION ON COM #2. I SWITCHED OVER TO TALK AND FAILED TO TELL THE FO. I WAS DISTRACTED BY COMPANY FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS. JUST WHEN I WAS 'SIGNING OFF,' ZHU ASKED US TO VERIFY ALT, WHICH WAS 8800 FT AND CLBING, WE WERE ASSIGNED 8000 FT AND HAD THAT ALT SET IN OUR WINDOW. I TOLD ZHU 8800 FT AND ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO DO. ZHU ASKED US IF WE WANTED 10000 FT. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE, CLBED TO 10000 FT AND CONTINUED FLT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PROB AROSE BY ME NOT NOTIFYING THE FO THAT I WAS 'OFF COM #1' BELIEVING I COULD MONITOR BOTH RADIOS. ADDITIONAL FACTORS WERE THE FO'S DISREGARD FOR OUR PRESET ALT AND MY FAILURE TO MONITOR FLT OPS. STRICT ADHERENCE TO COMPANY PROC WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THIS PROB.

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.