BE30 crew had altitude deviation in ZKC class a.

Attributes
ACN	475563
Time
Date	200006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Super King Air 300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	475563
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level FL230, ZKC issued clearance pilot's discretion descend to 11000 ft for descent to foe. I set altitude alert to 11000 ft and captain confirmed. Descent was delayed -- we were below VNAV profile. Intercepting the VNAV profile, captain advised he was ready to descend. I advised ZKC we were out of FL230. I looked down at center console to set pressurization for descent. I noticed the altitude arm annunciator flashing on the center console. I looked up and saw we were climbing through FL231. The pilot's autoplt annunciator panel altitude arm light was flashing and the climb annunciator was illuminated. I told the captain he had pushed the climb button and we were climbing. Rather than disengaging the autoplt or using the pitch sync button to stop the climb, the captain attempted to locate the approach descent button. The aircraft continued to climb. I told the captain he needed to descend or we would get an altitude alert, which the aircraft altitude alert went off. Subsequently the aircraft climbed to FL234 before the climb was stopped and a descent was initiated. There was no comment from center questioning the deviation. Closer monitoring of captain's actions by PNF and more aggressive and positive action by the captain once the error was noticed would have alleviated the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE30 CREW HAD ALTDEV IN ZKC CLASS A.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL FL230, ZKC ISSUED CLRNC PLT'S DISCRETION DSND TO 11000 FT FOR DSCNT TO FOE. I SET ALT ALERT TO 11000 FT AND CAPT CONFIRMED. DSCNT WAS DELAYED -- WE WERE BELOW VNAV PROFILE. INTERCEPTING THE VNAV PROFILE, CAPT ADVISED HE WAS READY TO DSND. I ADVISED ZKC WE WERE OUT OF FL230. I LOOKED DOWN AT CTR CONSOLE TO SET PRESSURIZATION FOR DSCNT. I NOTICED THE ALT ARM ANNUNCIATOR FLASHING ON THE CTR CONSOLE. I LOOKED UP AND SAW WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL231. THE PLT'S AUTOPLT ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ALT ARM LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THE CLB ANNUNCIATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. I TOLD THE CAPT HE HAD PUSHED THE CLB BUTTON AND WE WERE CLBING. RATHER THAN DISENGAGING THE AUTOPLT OR USING THE PITCH SYNC BUTTON TO STOP THE CLB, THE CAPT ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE APCH DSCNT BUTTON. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO CLB. I TOLD THE CAPT HE NEEDED TO DSND OR WE WOULD GET AN ALT ALERT, WHICH THE ACFT ALT ALERT WENT OFF. SUBSEQUENTLY THE ACFT CLBED TO FL234 BEFORE THE CLB WAS STOPPED AND A DSCNT WAS INITIATED. THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM CTR QUESTIONING THE DEV. CLOSER MONITORING OF CAPT'S ACTIONS BY PNF AND MORE AGGRESSIVE AND POSITIVE ACTION BY THE CAPT ONCE THE ERROR WAS NOTICED WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THE SIT.

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.