Government flight check LJ60 distraction and overshoots assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	500110
Time
Date	200102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sax.vortac
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Learjet 60
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : holding
Route In Use	enroute airway : j80.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	500110
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	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:

Our aircraft is a government flight inspection aircraft. We had just completed certification of a new RNAV (GPS) runway 16 to hpn. We were cleared from over sax to cmh as filed (J80 bowrr intersection direct). New york approach was extremely busy and began vectoring us around in circles. I believe ZNY would not take the handoff. We were being step-climbed about 2000 ft at a time. We were cleared to 17000 ft, which I acknowledged and set in the altitude alerter. I then had my head down programming the FMS. Nearing 17000 ft the controller told us to maintain 290 KTS. The PF selected the speed mode on the autoplt control panel. I believe this action canceled the altitude select mode. At 17300 ft, I heard the altitude alerter warning. I looked up and yelled 'altitude, altitude.' the PF corrected to 17000 ft. The only comment from new york approach was, 'aircraft X, maintain 17000 ft.' the aircraft actually climbed to 17700 ft during this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV FLT CHK LJ60 DISTR AND OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: OUR ACFT IS A GOV FLT INSPECTION ACFT. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED CERTIFICATION OF A NEW RNAV (GPS) RWY 16 TO HPN. WE WERE CLRED FROM OVER SAX TO CMH AS FILED (J80 BOWRR INTXN DIRECT). NEW YORK APCH WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND BEGAN VECTORING US AROUND IN CIRCLES. I BELIEVE ZNY WOULD NOT TAKE THE HDOF. WE WERE BEING STEP-CLBED ABOUT 2000 FT AT A TIME. WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT, WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED AND SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. I THEN HAD MY HEAD DOWN PROGRAMMING THE FMS. NEARING 17000 FT THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 290 KTS. THE PF SELECTED THE SPD MODE ON THE AUTOPLT CTL PANEL. I BELIEVE THIS ACTION CANCELED THE ALT SELECT MODE. AT 17300 FT, I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER WARNING. I LOOKED UP AND YELLED 'ALT, ALT.' THE PF CORRECTED TO 17000 FT. THE ONLY COMMENT FROM NEW YORK APCH WAS, 'ACFT X, MAINTAIN 17000 FT.' THE ACFT ACTUALLY CLBED TO 17700 FT DURING THIS INCIDENT.

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.