First officer of an MD83 overshot assigned cruise altitude due to being distraction with normal tasks and monitoring the autoplt to assure leveloff at the assigned altitude. He immediately corrected.

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Attributes
ACN	420530
Time
Date	199811
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse artcc : czyz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 126 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 126
ASRS Report	420530
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was acting as first officer on a scheduled passenger flight between seattle and portland, or. I was the PF. Shortly after takeoff, we were given climb clearance to FL230. At approximately FL210, I engaged the autoplt to help reduce some of the workload. Prior to reaching FL230 (at approximately FL220) we were issued descent clearance, at pilot's discretion, to (I believe) 11000 ft. During this time of distraction (descent clearance issued and also clearance to another NAVAID), I allowed myself to be taken away from monitoring the autoplt perform a leveloff at FL230. When I finally returned my attention exclusively to monitoring the autoplt, the aircraft had already gone past FL230 and was at FL233 and climbing. I quickly disengaged the autoplt and initiated a recovery and return to FL230. However, the aircraft had first achieved an altitude of FL234 before we started down. ATC (ZSE) did not query us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN MD83 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT DUE TO BEING DISTR WITH NORMAL TASKS AND MONITORING THE AUTOPLT TO ASSURE LEVELOFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT. HE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS FO ON A SCHEDULED PAX FLT BTWN SEATTLE AND PORTLAND, OR. I WAS THE PF. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, WE WERE GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO FL230. AT APPROX FL210, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO HELP REDUCE SOME OF THE WORKLOAD. PRIOR TO REACHING FL230 (AT APPROX FL220) WE WERE ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC, AT PLT'S DISCRETION, TO (I BELIEVE) 11000 FT. DURING THIS TIME OF DISTR (DSCNT CLRNC ISSUED AND ALSO CLRNC TO ANOTHER NAVAID), I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM MONITORING THE AUTOPLT PERFORM A LEVELOFF AT FL230. WHEN I FINALLY RETURNED MY ATTN EXCLUSIVELY TO MONITORING THE AUTOPLT, THE ACFT HAD ALREADY GONE PAST FL230 AND WAS AT FL233 AND CLBING. I QUICKLY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A RECOVERY AND RETURN TO FL230. HOWEVER, THE ACFT HAD FIRST ACHIEVED AN ALT OF FL234 BEFORE WE STARTED DOWN. ATC (ZSE) DID NOT QUERY 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.