Narrative:

Although I had filed the flight plans; my boss; and chief pilot for the company; was in the left seat and flying at the time. We had been cleared from FL330 to FL350 and were on an assigned heading at the time. While climbing to FL350; center reclred us to vhp; I was changing the information in the GPS for vhp when I noticed out of the corner of my field of view; that we were just passing through FL350. By the time I focused on the altimeter; the 200 ft altitude light and chime went off. I called 'altitude' to the chief pilot and he arrested the climb but not before we reached FL354. Center noticed and inquired. I told them we were aware and were correcting back to assigned altitude and that the autoplt had not captured the selected altitude; which was very true since the chief pilot had neglected to engage the altitude select in the climb. Also; at some point he turned off our mode C because center called back and said 'you can turn your mode C back on now.' center did not seem particularly upset by any of this and fortunately there were no traffic conflicts. I am quite sure this would not have occurred at all had the chief pilot not been distraction by trying to read unrelated material at the time. My lesson: doublechk everyone; even your chief pilot. The omission of pushing even 1 button (altitude select) could have disastrous consequences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WESTWIND II FLT CREW OVERSHOOTS ALT IN ZOB AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I HAD FILED THE FLT PLANS; MY BOSS; AND CHIEF PLT FOR THE COMPANY; WAS IN THE L SEAT AND FLYING AT THE TIME. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FROM FL330 TO FL350 AND WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG AT THE TIME. WHILE CLBING TO FL350; CTR RECLRED US TO VHP; I WAS CHANGING THE INFO IN THE GPS FOR VHP WHEN I NOTICED OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY FIELD OF VIEW; THAT WE WERE JUST PASSING THROUGH FL350. BY THE TIME I FOCUSED ON THE ALTIMETER; THE 200 FT ALT LIGHT AND CHIME WENT OFF. I CALLED 'ALT' TO THE CHIEF PLT AND HE ARRESTED THE CLB BUT NOT BEFORE WE REACHED FL354. CTR NOTICED AND INQUIRED. I TOLD THEM WE WERE AWARE AND WERE CORRECTING BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT AND THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD NOT CAPTURED THE SELECTED ALT; WHICH WAS VERY TRUE SINCE THE CHIEF PLT HAD NEGLECTED TO ENGAGE THE ALT SELECT IN THE CLB. ALSO; AT SOME POINT HE TURNED OFF OUR MODE C BECAUSE CTR CALLED BACK AND SAID 'YOU CAN TURN YOUR MODE C BACK ON NOW.' CTR DID NOT SEEM PARTICULARLY UPSET BY ANY OF THIS AND FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. I AM QUITE SURE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AT ALL HAD THE CHIEF PLT NOT BEEN DISTR BY TRYING TO READ UNRELATED MATERIAL AT THE TIME. MY LESSON: DOUBLECHK EVERYONE; EVEN YOUR CHIEF PLT. THE OMISSION OF PUSHING EVEN 1 BUTTON (ALT SELECT) COULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.