Narrative:

50 mi southwest of bwi en route fll, cleared to 10000 ft. There was a frequency change and about that time I was approaching 10000 ft but thinking I was cleared to 11000 ft. There were no significant distrs in the cockpit -- day VFR, 18000 hours flight time. I have never busted an altitude assignment, but this day I had a momentary mental lapse -- thought I was supposed to go to 11000 ft instead of 10000 ft. I impute the error to some form of complacency, never to be repeated. Even with many yrs of experience, we can never let our guard down. The next controller asked our assigned altitude. The first officer said '10000 ft.' at that point I was at 10700 ft. I stopped the ascent but the controller said to climb to 12000 ft. There was no conflict with other aircraft and nothing more was said by the controller. The first officer was in his first month with the company and I spoke with him about being more assertive in such sits. He had made an attempt to stop the overshoot, but it was not strong enough.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ALTDEV 50 MI SW OF BWI.

Narrative: 50 MI SW OF BWI ENRTE FLL, CLRED TO 10000 FT. THERE WAS A FREQ CHANGE AND ABOUT THAT TIME I WAS APCHING 10000 FT BUT THINKING I WAS CLRED TO 11000 FT. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT -- DAY VFR, 18000 HRS FLT TIME. I HAVE NEVER BUSTED AN ALT ASSIGNMENT, BUT THIS DAY I HAD A MOMENTARY MENTAL LAPSE -- THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO 11000 FT INSTEAD OF 10000 FT. I IMPUTE THE ERROR TO SOME FORM OF COMPLACENCY, NEVER TO BE REPEATED. EVEN WITH MANY YRS OF EXPERIENCE, WE CAN NEVER LET OUR GUARD DOWN. THE NEXT CTLR ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO SAID '10000 FT.' AT THAT POINT I WAS AT 10700 FT. I STOPPED THE ASCENT BUT THE CTLR SAID TO CLB TO 12000 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID BY THE CTLR. THE FO WAS IN HIS FIRST MONTH WITH THE COMPANY AND I SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT BEING MORE ASSERTIVE IN SUCH SITS. HE HAD MADE AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE OVERSHOOT, BUT IT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH.

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.