Altitude deviation caused by PF looking outside for traffic just about leveloff time.

Attributes
ACN	331310
Time
Date	199603
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	331310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The copilot was flying the departure route by hand (autoplt off). As we approached our assigned altitude of 10000 ft, we were told of descending traffic (from 13000 ft to 12000 ft) crossing our flight path. Our rate of climb was high (about 3000 FPM) as we called 'out of 9000 ft for 10000 ft.' I spotted the traffic and was also watching the altimeter as we approached 10000 ft. I saw the altitude shoot past 10000 ft and I called '10000 ft.' the copilot reacted, but because of the high rate of climb, our altitude reached 10400 ft before the copilot brought the plane back down to 10000 ft. The copilot explained that the reason for the overshoot was that she looked up just at the moment of departure's traffic call and was distracted from her altitude monitoring. This caused the overshoot. A better operation would have been to go to the autoplt if not closely monitoring the altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV CAUSED BY PF LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR TFC JUST ABOUT LEVELOFF TIME.

Narrative: THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE DEP RTE BY HAND (AUTOPLT OFF). AS WE APCHED OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT, WE WERE TOLD OF DSNDING TFC (FROM 13000 FT TO 12000 FT) XING OUR FLT PATH. OUR RATE OF CLB WAS HIGH (ABOUT 3000 FPM) AS WE CALLED 'OUT OF 9000 FT FOR 10000 FT.' I SPOTTED THE TFC AND WAS ALSO WATCHING THE ALTIMETER AS WE APCHED 10000 FT. I SAW THE ALT SHOOT PAST 10000 FT AND I CALLED '10000 FT.' THE COPLT REACTED, BUT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RATE OF CLB, OUR ALT REACHED 10400 FT BEFORE THE COPLT BROUGHT THE PLANE BACK DOWN TO 10000 FT. THE COPLT EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE OVERSHOOT WAS THAT SHE LOOKED UP JUST AT THE MOMENT OF DEP'S TFC CALL AND WAS DISTRACTED FROM HER ALT MONITORING. THIS CAUSED THE OVERSHOOT. A BETTER OP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO GO TO THE AUTOPLT IF NOT CLOSELY MONITORING THE ALT.

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.