Narrative:

We were flying from dtw to ord in a widebody transport. We had a light load and a cold day so the aircraft was climbing at 4000 FPM or more. Departure called traffic at 6000' and gave us a 5000' clearance. The captain was flying and he just did not level off. The altitude alert system was working and the first officer and I both called out altitude at around 4800' when we realized he was not going to level off. Instead of pushing the nose over abruptly, he eased it over smoothly and we sailed right on up to 5500' for a few seconds. This incident could have been avoided very easily by following standard climb technique, climbing the last 1000' at 1000' FPM. I mentioned before takeoff that the widebody transport X was a better climbing aircraft than the widebody transport Y that we normally fly on domestic routes and the captain just made a joke about it. Another thing that might have prevented this is if the captain would observe the sterile cockpit rule and pay more attention to the aircraft and just shut up during crucial phases of flight. Supplemental information from acn 100770: at 4500' MSL and climbing at approximately 6000 FPM I (first officer) call out altitude again (altitude was standard callout at 4000' MSL). F/east then calls out altitude then I call altitude again. Captain got aircraft leveled at 5500' MSL and made very little effort to get aircraft back to 5000' MLS. He descended the aircraft towards 5000' MSL at approximately 200 FPM. Prior to getting back to 5000' MSL a higher altitude was given. Controller made no mention of altitude excursion. Captain refused to fill out NASA report after being urged to do so by first officer and F/east.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB OVERSHOOTS ALT ON DEP CLIMB.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FROM DTW TO ORD IN A WDB. WE HAD A LIGHT LOAD AND A COLD DAY SO THE ACFT WAS CLBING AT 4000 FPM OR MORE. DEP CALLED TFC AT 6000' AND GAVE US A 5000' CLRNC. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND HE JUST DID NOT LEVEL OFF. THE ALT ALERT SYS WAS WORKING AND THE F/O AND I BOTH CALLED OUT ALT AT AROUND 4800' WHEN WE REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO LEVEL OFF. INSTEAD OF PUSHING THE NOSE OVER ABRUPTLY, HE EASED IT OVER SMOOTHLY AND WE SAILED RIGHT ON UP TO 5500' FOR A FEW SECS. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED VERY EASILY BY FOLLOWING STANDARD CLB TECHNIQUE, CLBING THE LAST 1000' AT 1000' FPM. I MENTIONED BEFORE TKOF THAT THE WDB X WAS A BETTER CLBING ACFT THAN THE WDB Y THAT WE NORMALLY FLY ON DOMESTIC ROUTES AND THE CAPT JUST MADE A JOKE ABOUT IT. ANOTHER THING THAT MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THIS IS IF THE CAPT WOULD OBSERVE THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE AND PAY MORE ATTN TO THE ACFT AND JUST SHUT UP DURING CRUCIAL PHASES OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 100770: AT 4500' MSL AND CLBING AT APPROX 6000 FPM I (F/O) CALL OUT ALT AGAIN (ALT WAS STANDARD CALLOUT AT 4000' MSL). F/E THEN CALLS OUT ALT THEN I CALL ALT AGAIN. CAPT GOT ACFT LEVELED AT 5500' MSL AND MADE VERY LITTLE EFFORT TO GET ACFT BACK TO 5000' MLS. HE DSNDED THE ACFT TOWARDS 5000' MSL AT APPROX 200 FPM. PRIOR TO GETTING BACK TO 5000' MSL A HIGHER ALT WAS GIVEN. CTLR MADE NO MENTION OF ALT EXCURSION. CAPT REFUSED TO FILL OUT NASA RPT AFTER BEING URGED TO DO SO BY F/O AND F/E.

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.