First officer, PF, in a C560 citation V overshoots his assigned departure altitude 4 NM northwest of...

Attributes
ACN	450820
Time
Date	199909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bkl.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	450820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
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 : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from bkl, I was the PF and was given an IFR clearance to climb to 2000 ft, on a heading. This was a climb of about 1400 ft from the airport elevation after takeoff. During the climb out, we were given several heading changes after being handed off from the tower to approach control and at the same general time we were given a TA. We also received several messages at the same approximately time. While looking for traffic outside, I went 400-500 ft above my assigned altitude of 2000 ft for just a couple of seconds. I realized my mistake and instantly went back to 2000 ft. For a couple of seconds my mind could have wandered or I could have thought I was assigned a higher altitude, or I could have been looking at the view of the city. At any rate, I had a momentary mental lapse and should have been concentrating more on flying the airplane and my altitude. There were no traffic incursions or airspace violations, other aircraft were visual and the ground was not a factor. 2000 ft is too low to assign a jet aircraft for initial altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO, PF, IN A C560 CITATION V OVERSHOOTS HIS ASSIGNED DEP ALT 4 NM NW OF BKL, OH.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM BKL, I WAS THE PF AND WAS GIVEN AN IFR CLRNC TO CLB TO 2000 FT, ON A HDG. THIS WAS A CLB OF ABOUT 1400 FT FROM THE ARPT ELEVATION AFTER TKOF. DURING THE CLBOUT, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL HDG CHANGES AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM THE TWR TO APCH CTL AND AT THE SAME GENERAL TIME WE WERE GIVEN A TA. WE ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL MESSAGES AT THE SAME APPROX TIME. WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC OUTSIDE, I WENT 400-500 FT ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 2000 FT FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND INSTANTLY WENT BACK TO 2000 FT. FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS MY MIND COULD HAVE WANDERED OR I COULD HAVE THOUGHT I WAS ASSIGNED A HIGHER ALT, OR I COULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE VIEW OF THE CITY. AT ANY RATE, I HAD A MOMENTARY MENTAL LAPSE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATING MORE ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND MY ALT. THERE WERE NO TFC INCURSIONS OR AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS, OTHER ACFT WERE VISUAL AND THE GND WAS NOT A FACTOR. 2000 FT IS TOO LOW TO ASSIGN A JET ACFT FOR INITIAL ALT.

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.

First officer, PF, in a C560 citation V overshoots his assigned departure altitude 4 NM northwest of bkl, oh.