Air carrier medium large transport flight crew overshot their assigned altitude while distraction in the cockpit. Captain made the altitude callout as ATC assigned flight a new frequency. After checking in with ATC a casual conversation was begun.

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Attributes
ACN	380200
Time
Date	199709
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : djb
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22450
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	380200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	380321
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain was flying aircraft and climbing to FL220. Captain made required callout of FL210 for FL220. Center called with a frequency change at the same time first officer checked on with new frequency. After this, a conversation began and we did not notice we had climbed through FL220 until the altitude alerter went off at FL223. I disengaged the autoplt immediately and began a smooth pushover. The altitude reached was FL224.5 MSL before the descent began. The controller did not say anything pertaining to this incident and as far as we know there was no conflict. We have no one to blame but ourselves for this oversight, as we allowed our conversation to distract us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHILE DISTR IN THE COCKPIT. CAPT MADE THE ALT CALLOUT AS ATC ASSIGNED FLT A NEW FREQ. AFTER CHKING IN WITH ATC A CASUAL CONVERSATION WAS BEGUN.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT AND CLBING TO FL220. CAPT MADE REQUIRED CALLOUT OF FL210 FOR FL220. CTR CALLED WITH A FREQ CHANGE AT THE SAME TIME FO CHKED ON WITH NEW FREQ. AFTER THIS, A CONVERSATION BEGAN AND WE DID NOT NOTICE WE HAD CLBED THROUGH FL220 UNTIL THE ALT ALERTER WENT OFF AT FL223. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT IMMEDIATELY AND BEGAN A SMOOTH PUSHOVER. THE ALT REACHED WAS FL224.5 MSL BEFORE THE DSCNT BEGAN. THE CTLR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING PERTAINING TO THIS INCIDENT AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES FOR THIS OVERSIGHT, AS WE ALLOWED OUR CONVERSATION TO DISTRACT US.

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.