A B737-200 flight crew overshoots their assigned altitude 10 NM northwest of stl, mo.

Attributes
ACN	452233
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	452233
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure from stl we overshot an assigned 6000 ft altitude by 400 ft. The controller advised us to monitor our altitude when we were already correcting. No near miss occurred to my knowledge. Factors causing the altitude deviation include: 1) multiple heading and altitude changes in a very short time. 2) unexpected moderate turbulence requiring me to call and seat the flight attendants as we neared the 6000 ft leveloff. 3) lack of time flying a 200 series B737. I fly 95% of my time in a 300/500/700 B737 with automatic leveloff capability -- the 200 is manual leveloff. Corrective action: 1) reduce the number of heading and altitude changes immediately after takeoff. 2) timely notification of turbulence by ground/local controller to allow seating the flight attendants prior to departure. 3) all 200's should be placed in 1 crew base and flown by the pilots in that base. I fly the 200 aircraft approximately once a month and the differences between a 200 and 300/500/700 aircraft should not allow for a single type rating that allows you to fly all 4 series of the B737.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT 10 NM NW OF STL, MO.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM STL WE OVERSHOT AN ASSIGNED 6000 FT ALT BY 400 FT. THE CTLR ADVISED US TO MONITOR OUR ALT WHEN WE WERE ALREADY CORRECTING. NO NEAR MISS OCCURRED TO MY KNOWLEDGE. FACTORS CAUSING THE ALTDEV INCLUDE: 1) MULTIPLE HDG AND ALT CHANGES IN A VERY SHORT TIME. 2) UNEXPECTED MODERATE TURB REQUIRING ME TO CALL AND SEAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS AS WE NEARED THE 6000 FT LEVELOFF. 3) LACK OF TIME FLYING A 200 SERIES B737. I FLY 95% OF MY TIME IN A 300/500/700 B737 WITH AUTO LEVELOFF CAPABILITY -- THE 200 IS MANUAL LEVELOFF. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HDG AND ALT CHANGES IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. 2) TIMELY NOTIFICATION OF TURB BY GND/LCL CTLR TO ALLOW SEATING THE FLT ATTENDANTS PRIOR TO DEP. 3) ALL 200'S SHOULD BE PLACED IN 1 CREW BASE AND FLOWN BY THE PLTS IN THAT BASE. I FLY THE 200 ACFT APPROX ONCE A MONTH AND THE DIFFERENCES BTWN A 200 AND 300/500/700 ACFT SHOULD NOT ALLOW FOR A SINGLE TYPE RATING THAT ALLOWS YOU TO FLY ALL 4 SERIES OF THE B737.

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.