An FK28 freighter crew overshoots their assigned altitude during climb out on frequency with ZBW, ma...

Attributes
ACN	481525
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw.artcc
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	F27 (Fokker BV)
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 5315 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	481525
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	481970
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the climb out of boston we were assigned an altitude of 12000 ft. The first officer was flying and inadvertently climbed to approximately 13000 ft before realizing the error. We immediately descended back to 12000 ft and were queried by ATC as we passed 12200 ft. Crew member inattention was the cause of this deviation. I was busy transmitting departure times back to our base and did not notice the discrepancy until I was finished. I believe that waiting until we reach a cruising altitude before diverting attention to other activities could help preclude instances like this one. Flying at night, on the back side of the clock also plays a part in possible lapses of crew inattention. If one crew member receives poor rest and the other is distracted incidents like this can happen. Supplemental information from acn 481970: I was instructed by ATC to change frequencys and fly direct to a NAVAID and diverted my attention to do as instructed and did not notice altitude deviation until I was finished.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FK28 FREIGHTER CREW OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLBOUT ON FREQ WITH ZBW, MA.

Narrative: DURING THE CLB OUT OF BOSTON WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 12000 FT. THE FO WAS FLYING AND INADVERTENTLY CLBED TO APPROX 13000 FT BEFORE REALIZING THE ERROR. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO 12000 FT AND WERE QUERIED BY ATC AS WE PASSED 12200 FT. CREW MEMBER INATTENTION WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS DEV. I WAS BUSY XMITTING DEP TIMES BACK TO OUR BASE AND DID NOT NOTICE THE DISCREPANCY UNTIL I WAS FINISHED. I BELIEVE THAT WAITING UNTIL WE REACH A CRUISING ALT BEFORE DIVERTING ATTN TO OTHER ACTIVITIES COULD HELP PRECLUDE INSTANCES LIKE THIS ONE. FLYING AT NIGHT, ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK ALSO PLAYS A PART IN POSSIBLE LAPSES OF CREW INATTENTION. IF ONE CREW MEMBER RECEIVES POOR REST AND THE OTHER IS DISTRACTED INCIDENTS LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 481970: I WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO CHANGE FREQS AND FLY DIRECT TO A NAVAID AND DIVERTED MY ATTN TO DO AS INSTRUCTED AND DID NOT NOTICE ALTDEV UNTIL I WAS FINISHED.

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.