An air carrier MD80 flight crew overshot their assigned altitude at leveloff.

Attributes
ACN	389810
Time
Date	199712
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26300
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	389810
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
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:

First officer leg, approaching FL260, I checked chart for outbound course. We drifted up to FL263. ATC noticed about the same time we did. Poor timing on my part. Vigilance until after leveloff is a must.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AT LEVELOFF.

Narrative: FO LEG, APCHING FL260, I CHKED CHART FOR OUTBOUND COURSE. WE DRIFTED UP TO FL263. ATC NOTICED ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE DID. POOR TIMING ON MY PART. VIGILANCE UNTIL AFTER LEVELOFF IS A MUST.

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.