Narrative:

I was captain on air carrier flight from dsm, ia, to msp, mn, scheduled to depart dsm at XA54 (local) on sep/xx/95. My first officer does not speak english well and frequently has problems on the radio. While climbing on runway heading (runway 13L) to 5000 ft we were reclred to turn left and climb further to 7000 ft. My first officer missed the radio call, so, I answered. When I looked to see if he had a problem, he was distracted looking for some paperwork. I began to worry that his mind wasn't on the task at hand. But when we were reclred to 10000 ft he heard the call and answered with his characteristic hesitation. He then began fumbling with more paperwork. Again worried about his distraction I was about to tell him to concentrate on the aircraft during the climb when the altitude alerter sounded, indicating we were passing 10000 ft. I stopped the climb by 10500 ft and was passing 10300 ft when the controller asked our altitude and reiterated for us to maintain 10000 ft. I had allowed myself to become distracted by my first officer's distraction and weak english ability. I should have directed his attention to the cockpit when he missed the radio call to 7000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC. COCKPIT COORD PROB LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON ACR FLT FROM DSM, IA, TO MSP, MN, SCHEDULED TO DEPART DSM AT XA54 (LCL) ON SEP/XX/95. MY FO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH WELL AND FREQUENTLY HAS PROBS ON THE RADIO. WHILE CLBING ON RWY HDG (RWY 13L) TO 5000 FT WE WERE RECLRED TO TURN L AND CLB FURTHER TO 7000 FT. MY FO MISSED THE RADIO CALL, SO, I ANSWERED. WHEN I LOOKED TO SEE IF HE HAD A PROB, HE WAS DISTRACTED LOOKING FOR SOME PAPERWORK. I BEGAN TO WORRY THAT HIS MIND WASN'T ON THE TASK AT HAND. BUT WHEN WE WERE RECLRED TO 10000 FT HE HEARD THE CALL AND ANSWERED WITH HIS CHARACTERISTIC HESITATION. HE THEN BEGAN FUMBLING WITH MORE PAPERWORK. AGAIN WORRIED ABOUT HIS DISTR I WAS ABOUT TO TELL HIM TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ACFT DURING THE CLB WHEN THE ALT ALERTER SOUNDED, INDICATING WE WERE PASSING 10000 FT. I STOPPED THE CLB BY 10500 FT AND WAS PASSING 10300 FT WHEN THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND REITERATED FOR US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT. I HAD ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED BY MY FO'S DISTR AND WEAK ENGLISH ABILITY. I SHOULD HAVE DIRECTED HIS ATTN TO THE COCKPIT WHEN HE MISSED THE RADIO CALL TO 7000 FT.

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.