Crew distraction and an aircraft without an advanced autoflt system lead to an altitude overshoot.

Attributes
ACN	525080
Time
Date	200109
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx.artcc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	525080
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing to cruise altitude of FL270, both the captain (PF) and myself (PNF) were distracted by looking up a VOR fix. The series B737-200 that we were flying continued climbing through FL270 and both the captain and I recognized this by FL279. At this point we started down to FL270 and center queried us about our deviation. Contributing factors include a breakdown of crew responsibilities. It was a crew mistake and I think it can be avoided by a clrer diligent cockpit scan and separating crew duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW DISTR AND AN ACFT WITHOUT AN ADVANCED AUTOFLT SYS LEAD TO AN ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO CRUISE ALT OF FL270, BOTH THE CAPT (PF) AND MYSELF (PNF) WERE DISTRACTED BY LOOKING UP A VOR FIX. THE SERIES B737-200 THAT WE WERE FLYING CONTINUED CLBING THROUGH FL270 AND BOTH THE CAPT AND I RECOGNIZED THIS BY FL279. AT THIS POINT WE STARTED DOWN TO FL270 AND CTR QUERIED US ABOUT OUR DEV. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE A BREAKDOWN OF CREW RESPONSIBILITIES. IT WAS A CREW MISTAKE AND I THINK IT CAN BE AVOIDED BY A CLRER DILIGENT COCKPIT SCAN AND SEPARATING CREW DUTIES.

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.