B727 crew overshot FL260 during climb.

Attributes
ACN	350230
Time
Date	199610
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hec
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	350230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	350313
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera
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 out, PF climbed through assigned altitude of FL260. The altitude chime was very quiet and at FL266, ATC asked what altitude we were assigned. We quickly reversed the climb and leveled at FL260. The flight was in beautiful VFR WX which was a contributing factor as we were looking outside the majority of the climb out. Although this was good from a visual traffic avoidance aspect, we neglected to devote adequate time to monitoring our climb and leveloff. Additional factors were the low volume of the altitude alerter chime and the fact that our aircraft (B727) was equipped with an old block 4 autoplt that does not have an altitude capture feature.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW OVERSHOT FL260 DURING CLB.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT, PF CLBED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT OF FL260. THE ALT CHIME WAS VERY QUIET AND AT FL266, ATC ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE ASSIGNED. WE QUICKLY REVERSED THE CLB AND LEVELED AT FL260. THE FLT WAS IN BEAUTIFUL VFR WX WHICH WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS WE WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE THE MAJORITY OF THE CLBOUT. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS GOOD FROM A VISUAL TFC AVOIDANCE ASPECT, WE NEGLECTED TO DEVOTE ADEQUATE TIME TO MONITORING OUR CLB AND LEVELOFF. ADDITIONAL FACTORS WERE THE LOW VOLUME OF THE ALT ALERTER CHIME AND THE FACT THAT OUR ACFT (B727) WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN OLD BLOCK 4 AUTOPLT THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ALT CAPTURE FEATURE.

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.