DC9 captain had altitude and speed deviation.

Attributes
ACN	486000
Time
Date	200009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iln.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	486000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Fears of a 'senior moment' lead to a 'senior moment.' while preparing the cockpit for flight, I was repeatedly forgetting things and making dumb mistakes. I'm almost 55 yrs old and began wondering about losing my abilities, due to age related deterioration. I was thinking fearfully about all this when I blew right through my assigned altitude of 5000 ft. The altitude alerter warned me at 5300 ft, I did a hard pushover and returned to 5000 ft after reaching 5400 ft. The rest of the flight was not much better as I could not get my mind on the task at hand no matter how I tried. There were many occasions when I was late or slow with something. I missed a speed restr, and almost missed 3 other restrs. Throughout the flight, I kept dwelling on what was causing this terrible flight and that actually worsened the situation. In retrospect, I don't know if this was a series of 'senior moments,' or something else, but if I ever detect the onset of this again, I will ground myself if prior to flight, and if already airborne, give it to the first officer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CAPT HAD ALT AND SPD DEV.

Narrative: FEARS OF A 'SENIOR MOMENT' LEAD TO A 'SENIOR MOMENT.' WHILE PREPARING THE COCKPIT FOR FLT, I WAS REPEATEDLY FORGETTING THINGS AND MAKING DUMB MISTAKES. I'M ALMOST 55 YRS OLD AND BEGAN WONDERING ABOUT LOSING MY ABILITIES, DUE TO AGE RELATED DETERIORATION. I WAS THINKING FEARFULLY ABOUT ALL THIS WHEN I BLEW RIGHT THROUGH MY ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT. THE ALT ALERTER WARNED ME AT 5300 FT, I DID A HARD PUSHOVER AND RETURNED TO 5000 FT AFTER REACHING 5400 FT. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NOT MUCH BETTER AS I COULD NOT GET MY MIND ON THE TASK AT HAND NO MATTER HOW I TRIED. THERE WERE MANY OCCASIONS WHEN I WAS LATE OR SLOW WITH SOMETHING. I MISSED A SPD RESTR, AND ALMOST MISSED 3 OTHER RESTRS. THROUGHOUT THE FLT, I KEPT DWELLING ON WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS TERRIBLE FLT AND THAT ACTUALLY WORSENED THE SIT. IN RETROSPECT, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS A SERIES OF 'SENIOR MOMENTS,' OR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IF I EVER DETECT THE ONSET OF THIS AGAIN, I WILL GND MYSELF IF PRIOR TO FLT, AND IF ALREADY AIRBORNE, GIVE IT TO THE FO.

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.