Without a cockpit door installed a passenger takes the opportunity to enter the cockpit to plug into the jump seat headset jack to monitor the flight. Flight attendant takes note advises captain providing the distraction leading to an altitude overshoot.

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Attributes
ACN	469280
Time
Date	200004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12100 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	769280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	469279
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were assigned to climb to 15000 ft then center changed assigned altitude to 10000 ft. Our flight attendant came forward as we were climbing through 9000 ft and informed us that a passenger was using one of our headsets to listen in on our conversation. I told her to tell him to remove the headset because we did not want to have him monitoring the flight. This distraction caused us to fly through our altitude that was assigned by ATC. At 10600 ft, ATC asked us what our altitude was and we quickly returned to our assigned altitude of 10000 ft. In the future we will not allow the flight attendant to violate sterile cockpit procedures. Supplemental information from acn 469279:

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITHOUT A COCKPIT DOOR INSTALLED A PAX TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER THE COCKPIT TO PLUG INTO THE JUMP SEAT HEADSET JACK TO MONITOR THE FLT. FLT ATTENDANT TAKES NOTE ADVISES CAPT PROVIDING THE DISTR LEADING TO AN ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED TO CLB TO 15000 FT THEN CTR CHANGED ASSIGNED ALT TO 10000 FT. OUR FLT ATTENDANT CAME FORWARD AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 9000 FT AND INFORMED US THAT A PAX WAS USING ONE OF OUR HEADSETS TO LISTEN IN ON OUR CONVERSATION. I TOLD HER TO TELL HIM TO REMOVE THE HEADSET BECAUSE WE DID NOT WANT TO HAVE HIM MONITORING THE FLT. THIS DISTR CAUSED US TO FLY THROUGH OUR ALT THAT WAS ASSIGNED BY ATC. AT 10600 FT, ATC ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND WE QUICKLY RETURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT. IN THE FUTURE WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE FLT ATTENDANT TO VIOLATE STERILE COCKPIT PROCS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 469279:

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.