An air carrier medium large transport freighter overshot its assigned altitude of FL290 by 400 ft.

Attributes
ACN	417270
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pkb
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : mht
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	417270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb out we were given several leveloff altitudes in 1000 ft increments. At the time, the first officer was flying. We were cleared to FL290. Upon reaching FL290, I was distraction and upon looking back, we were still climbing up. I quickly stated FL290 only and immediately pushed the airplane down from FL294 back down to FL290. The excursion only happened for about 10 seconds. We were already back at FL290 before ATC asked us about our altitude, which was already back at FL290. Both myself and first officer did not hear anything else since then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FREIGHTER OVERSHOT ITS ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290 BY 400 FT.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL LEVELOFF ALTS IN 1000 FT INCREMENTS. AT THE TIME, THE FO WAS FLYING. WE WERE CLRED TO FL290. UPON REACHING FL290, I WAS DISTR AND UPON LOOKING BACK, WE WERE STILL CLBING UP. I QUICKLY STATED FL290 ONLY AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE AIRPLANE DOWN FROM FL294 BACK DOWN TO FL290. THE EXCURSION ONLY HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. WE WERE ALREADY BACK AT FL290 BEFORE ATC ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT, WHICH WAS ALREADY BACK AT FL290. BOTH MYSELF AND FO DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE SINCE THEN.

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.