Narrative:

During climb to FL230 we were given a heading of 020 degree direct seal beach and a frequency change. We rolled out on heading just west of seal beach and were questioned by ATC if we were direct sli. First officer replied yes, then controller told us it was east of us, I replied we were given the initial heading (020 degree then direct) and we were in the turn. We changed frequencys and checked in. We received a question about our assigned altitude, (we believe it was FL230 but we were slowly climbing through FL245). Controller then cleared us to FL290. No further discussions of altitude problems with the controller. Cause of problem, I thought the autoplt was in the command mode and had leveled off while I was talking with the controller about the seal beach vector. Actually, aircraft was in the control wheel steering mode and would not level by itself. Another factor, fatigue. Both pilots commuted in to the base to begin the trip. This was the last leg of 7 legs with a 11:05 hours scheduled duty day. After 4 hours of commuting, we were scheduled for 7:40 flight time. This combined, I know I was not at my most alert mental ability and realize I was tired. Correction, try not to commute in to a long day of flying. Supplemental information from acn 314358: climbing out of lax, we were distracted briefly by ATC while climbing to FL230. The confusion was quickly sorted out, concerning going direct seal beach (we were in the turn). Captain responded and we then switched frequencys and I checked in. We failed to level off at FL230.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ACR FLC WAS DISTR BY COURSE DEV AND ATC INTERVENTION, THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AUTOPLT DID NOT LEVEL AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO FL230 WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 020 DEG DIRECT SEAL BEACH AND A FREQ CHANGE. WE ROLLED OUT ON HDG JUST W OF SEAL BEACH AND WERE QUESTIONED BY ATC IF WE WERE DIRECT SLI. FO REPLIED YES, THEN CTLR TOLD US IT WAS E OF US, I REPLIED WE WERE GIVEN THE INITIAL HDG (020 DEG THEN DIRECT) AND WE WERE IN THE TURN. WE CHANGED FREQS AND CHKED IN. WE RECEIVED A QUESTION ABOUT OUR ASSIGNED ALT, (WE BELIEVE IT WAS FL230 BUT WE WERE SLOWLY CLBING THROUGH FL245). CTLR THEN CLRED US TO FL290. NO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS OF ALT PROBS WITH THE CTLR. CAUSE OF PROB, I THOUGHT THE AUTOPLT WAS IN THE COMMAND MODE AND HAD LEVELED OFF WHILE I WAS TALKING WITH THE CTLR ABOUT THE SEAL BEACH VECTOR. ACTUALLY, ACFT WAS IN THE CTL WHEEL STEERING MODE AND WOULD NOT LEVEL BY ITSELF. ANOTHER FACTOR, FATIGUE. BOTH PLTS COMMUTED IN TO THE BASE TO BEGIN THE TRIP. THIS WAS THE LAST LEG OF 7 LEGS WITH A 11:05 HRS SCHEDULED DUTY DAY. AFTER 4 HRS OF COMMUTING, WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR 7:40 FLT TIME. THIS COMBINED, I KNOW I WAS NOT AT MY MOST ALERT MENTAL ABILITY AND REALIZE I WAS TIRED. CORRECTION, TRY NOT TO COMMUTE IN TO A LONG DAY OF FLYING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 314358: CLBING OUT OF LAX, WE WERE DISTRACTED BRIEFLY BY ATC WHILE CLBING TO FL230. THE CONFUSION WAS QUICKLY SORTED OUT, CONCERNING GOING DIRECT SEAL BEACH (WE WERE IN THE TURN). CAPT RESPONDED AND WE THEN SWITCHED FREQS AND I CHKED IN. WE FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT FL230.

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.