DC9 crew overshot altitude clearance limit by 800 ft on climb.

Attributes
ACN	405669
Time
Date	199806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vuz
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	405669
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	405670
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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:

Flight XXX climbing to FL250. Captain off center frequency obtaining ATIS, first officer is PF. Flight attendant entered cockpit and requested several passenger amenities on arrival at bhm. Both crew members distracted from duties, aircraft climbed out of FL250 (assigned) and reached 25800 ft before altitude deviation was noticed and descent was begun to FL250. ATC controller noticed discrepancy and asked crew to check altimeter settings. There was no conflict with other aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 305670: I need to focus on flying the airplane even if other crew members are put on hold.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW OVERSHOT ALT CLRNC LIMIT BY 800 FT ON CLB.

Narrative: FLT XXX CLBING TO FL250. CAPT OFF CTR FREQ OBTAINING ATIS, FO IS PF. FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT AND REQUESTED SEVERAL PAX AMENITIES ON ARR AT BHM. BOTH CREW MEMBERS DISTRACTED FROM DUTIES, ACFT CLBED OUT OF FL250 (ASSIGNED) AND REACHED 25800 FT BEFORE ALTDEV WAS NOTICED AND DSCNT WAS BEGUN TO FL250. ATC CTLR NOTICED DISCREPANCY AND ASKED CREW TO CHK ALTIMETER SETTINGS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 305670: I NEED TO FOCUS ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE EVEN IF OTHER CREW MEMBERS ARE PUT ON HOLD.

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.