FLC OF AN MLG OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON DEP DUE TO CABIN ATTENDANT INTERRUPTION. THE FLYING FO NOTICED HIS MISTAKE AND CORRECTED BACK AT ONCE. ATC DID NOT INDICATE THAT THERE WAS ANY CONFLICT. THE CREW WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CABIN ATTENDANT HAD NOT WAITED FOR LEVELOFF BEFORE CONFRONTING THE CREW WITH WHAT HE PERCEIVED AS A PROB.

Narrative

JUST PRIOR TO LEVELING OFF AT 16000 FT MSL (-300 FT) ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND RPTED TO ME THAT HE COULD SMELL SMOKE IN THE CABIN. THIS DISTRACTED MYSELF AND THE FO AT AN INOPPORTUNE TIME. THIS RESULTED IN ME DIVERTING MY ATTN FROM THE FO LEVELING OFF AT 16000 FT AND RESULTED IN AN ALT EXCURSION OF ABOUT +400 FT. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AND WE RETURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 16000 FT PROMPTLY. WE CONCLUDED THAT THE ODOR OF SMOKE WAS COMING FROM ONE OF OUR PAX CLOTHING WHO WAS SEATED IN THE LAST ROW OF THE ACFT JUST FORWARD OF WHERE THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS SEATED. MAYBE BETTER TRAINING FOR FLT ATTENDANTS IN SMOKE RECOGNITION AND IDENT COULD BE HELPFUL IN AVERTING UNNECESSARY DISRUPTIONS TO THE COCKPIT CREW. SMOKE OF ANY KIND IS VERY SERIOUS AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY BUT I BELIEVE IF THE FLT ATTENDANT WOULD HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE MORE TIME TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR THIS ALT EXCURSION WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. MAYBE ALSO RESTRICTING THE ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT UNTIL LEVEL AT CRUISE ALT MIGHT ALSO PREVENT UNDUE DISTRACTIONS.