B757 flight crew reports altitude deviation after receiving TCAS TA approaching level-off altitude.

Attributes
ACN	813007
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	813007
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	813244
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Departing ZZZ and flying RNAV SID. I was the PF and was hand flying the aircraft. Just before reaching our cleared altitude of 10000 ft; the controller gave us direct a downline fix and an increase in speed to 280 KTS. This is a place that we are many times also cleared to climb to 14000 ft. I was also thinking 14000 ft out of habit even though I realized later the controller did not say it. Just after receiving this clearance and at the time I would have normally looked at the altitude window to 'double point' to confirm the clearance; we received a TA on the TCAS. This is also common at this point on the SID as traffic passed overhead and then quickly diverges on us and never a factor a couple of thousand ft above. Then the captain pointed out that we were approaching 10500 ft. The controller cleared us to 11000 ft and we never had any conflict with any traffic. I made the mistake of looking for traffic that was not even a factor before I took care of the primary duty of flying my aircraft. I changed altitude without confirming it with the other crew member.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLIGHT CREW REPORTS ALTITUDE DEVIATION AFTER RECEIVING TCAS TA APPROACHING LEVEL-OFF ALTITUDE.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ AND FLYING RNAV SID. I WAS THE PF AND WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT. JUST BEFORE REACHING OUR CLRED ALT OF 10000 FT; THE CTLR GAVE US DIRECT A DOWNLINE FIX AND AN INCREASE IN SPD TO 280 KTS. THIS IS A PLACE THAT WE ARE MANY TIMES ALSO CLRED TO CLB TO 14000 FT. I WAS ALSO THINKING 14000 FT OUT OF HABIT EVEN THOUGH I REALIZED LATER THE CTLR DID NOT SAY IT. JUST AFTER RECEIVING THIS CLRNC AND AT THE TIME I WOULD HAVE NORMALLY LOOKED AT THE ALT WINDOW TO 'DOUBLE POINT' TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC; WE RECEIVED A TA ON THE TCAS. THIS IS ALSO COMMON AT THIS POINT ON THE SID AS TFC PASSED OVERHEAD AND THEN QUICKLY DIVERGES ON US AND NEVER A FACTOR A COUPLE OF THOUSAND FT ABOVE. THEN THE CAPT POINTED OUT THAT WE WERE APCHING 10500 FT. THE CTLR CLRED US TO 11000 FT AND WE NEVER HAD ANY CONFLICT WITH ANY TFC. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF LOOKING FOR TFC THAT WAS NOT EVEN A FACTOR BEFORE I TOOK CARE OF THE PRIMARY DUTY OF FLYING MY ACFT. I CHANGED ALT WITHOUT CONFIRMING IT WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.