Large transport overshot assigned altitude and climbed to an occupied altitude.

Attributes
ACN	96244
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ldn
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	96244
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	96350
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During our climb out of dca we were given a vector of 310 degree heading to intercept the 090 degree right of ldn, and proceed inbound. We were initially cleared to 17000'. As we were intercepting the 090 degree right of ldn we were cleared to climb and maintain FL190. Initially the first officer was flying and I was making entries in the CDU. Since the 090 degree right was not in our original flight plan, I proceeded to develop the route segment in the CDU. For some reason, the ldn VOR waypoint dropped completely out of the legs page. The first officer immediately selected ldn frequency 114.3 manually and set 090 degree right so that he could have a presentation of the radial to follow inbound since we were very close to the radial. I continued to try and develop that route segment, but was not successful. At this time the first officer requested that I fly and he would then try inserting the segment in the CDU. We both were diverting our attention to making sure the proper route segment was inserted while the autoplt was engaged. As we were proceeding inbound on the 090 degree right of ldn VOR, ATC called out 'traffic 2 O'clock, 12 mi climbing to FL200 A-6.' since the first officer was busy inserting the route segment, I answered the call with a 'roger.' it is unclear where, but for some reason, the first officer misunderstood the call for a climb to FL200 and automatically set the altitude window in the MCP to 20000'. Since we were both diverting our attention to the CDU, I never saw the change. Approaching the ldn VOR and myself still in charge of the controls, the autoplt leveled at FL200. ZDC asked our altitude and I responded FL200 at which time ZDC said he had cleared us to FL190. I responded that we were cleared to FL200, and descended to FL190. I diverted my attention from the basic responsibility of flying the aircraft to attend to the intricacies of reprogramming the computer. I find myself relying more and more in the power of advanced automation and forget the human factor. A lesson well learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT AND CLIMBED TO AN OCCUPIED ALT.

Narrative: DURING OUR CLB OUT OF DCA WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OF 310 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 090 DEG R OF LDN, AND PROCEED INBND. WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO 17000'. AS WE WERE INTERCEPTING THE 090 DEG R OF LDN WE WERE CLRED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190. INITIALLY THE F/O WAS FLYING AND I WAS MAKING ENTRIES IN THE CDU. SINCE THE 090 DEG R WAS NOT IN OUR ORIGINAL FLT PLAN, I PROCEEDED TO DEVELOP THE ROUTE SEGMENT IN THE CDU. FOR SOME REASON, THE LDN VOR WAYPOINT DROPPED COMPLETELY OUT OF THE LEGS PAGE. THE F/O IMMEDIATELY SELECTED LDN FREQ 114.3 MANUALLY AND SET 090 DEG R SO THAT HE COULD HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE RADIAL TO FOLLOW INBND SINCE WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE RADIAL. I CONTINUED TO TRY AND DEVELOP THAT ROUTE SEGMENT, BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. AT THIS TIME THE F/O REQUESTED THAT I FLY AND HE WOULD THEN TRY INSERTING THE SEGMENT IN THE CDU. WE BOTH WERE DIVERTING OUR ATTN TO MAKING SURE THE PROPER ROUTE SEGMENT WAS INSERTED WHILE THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED. AS WE WERE PROCEEDING INBND ON THE 090 DEG R OF LDN VOR, ATC CALLED OUT 'TFC 2 O'CLOCK, 12 MI CLBING TO FL200 A-6.' SINCE THE F/O WAS BUSY INSERTING THE ROUTE SEGMENT, I ANSWERED THE CALL WITH A 'ROGER.' IT IS UNCLEAR WHERE, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE F/O MISUNDERSTOOD THE CALL FOR A CLB TO FL200 AND AUTOMATICALLY SET THE ALT WINDOW IN THE MCP TO 20000'. SINCE WE WERE BOTH DIVERTING OUR ATTN TO THE CDU, I NEVER SAW THE CHANGE. APCHING THE LDN VOR AND MYSELF STILL IN CHARGE OF THE CONTROLS, THE AUTOPLT LEVELED AT FL200. ZDC ASKED OUR ALT AND I RESPONDED FL200 AT WHICH TIME ZDC SAID HE HAD CLRED US TO FL190. I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL200, AND DSNDED TO FL190. I DIVERTED MY ATTN FROM THE BASIC RESPONSIBILITY OF FLYING THE ACFT TO ATTEND TO THE INTRICACIES OF REPROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER. I FIND MYSELF RELYING MORE AND MORE IN THE PWR OF ADVANCED AUTOMATION AND FORGET THE HUMAN FACTOR. A LESSON WELL LEARNED.

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