Altitude deviation on climb. Flight crew distracted by discussion about heading.

Attributes
ACN	329090
Time
Date	199602
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sac airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 92 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 617
ASRS Report	329090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb to cruise altitude after departure from sac airport en route to santa barbara, ca, controller cleared our aircraft to climb and maintain 11000 ft MSL. PNF acknowledged ATC, set in altitude window, PF acknowledged change. Captain (PF) acknowledged 500 ft prior to leveloff altitude passing 10500 ft MSL. PNF acknowledged 500 ft prior call, then looked at en route chart to verify airway outbound course from sac VOR. Passing 11500 ft MSL, PF caught altitude deviation and corrected back to 11000 ft. Maximum altitude seen by either crew member was approximately 11,600' MSL. ATC called to verify at 11000 ft just after PF noted altitude deviation. After leveling at 11000 ft, ATC then gave clearance to climb and maintain 15000 ft MSL. Crew acknowledged and had no further incidents. Ensuing discussion at cruise altitude yielded cause: discussion of route heading led to inattn and failure to level off at assigned altitude. Both crewmembers need to scan all instruments while reading charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLB. FLC DISTRACTED BY DISCUSSION ABOUT HDG.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO CRUISE ALT AFTER DEP FROM SAC ARPT ENRTE TO SANTA BARBARA, CA, CTLR CLRED OUR ACFT TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT MSL. PNF ACKNOWLEDGED ATC, SET IN ALT WINDOW, PF ACKNOWLEDGED CHANGE. CAPT (PF) ACKNOWLEDGED 500 FT PRIOR TO LEVELOFF ALT PASSING 10500 FT MSL. PNF ACKNOWLEDGED 500 FT PRIOR CALL, THEN LOOKED AT ENRTE CHART TO VERIFY AIRWAY OUTBOUND COURSE FROM SAC VOR. PASSING 11500 FT MSL, PF CAUGHT ALTDEV AND CORRECTED BACK TO 11000 FT. MAX ALT SEEN BY EITHER CREW MEMBER WAS APPROX 11,600' MSL. ATC CALLED TO VERIFY AT 11000 FT JUST AFTER PF NOTED ALTDEV. AFTER LEVELING AT 11000 FT, ATC THEN GAVE CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 15000 FT MSL. CREW ACKNOWLEDGED AND HAD NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. ENSUING DISCUSSION AT CRUISE ALT YIELDED CAUSE: DISCUSSION OF RTE HDG LED TO INATTN AND FAILURE TO LEVEL OFF AT ASSIGNED ALT. BOTH CREWMEMBERS NEED TO SCAN ALL INSTS WHILE READING CHARTS.

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.