Narrative:

Departing dca to the northwest climbing to 17000' on a heading of 320 degrees, first point of flight plan was jeres intersection. Aircraft was light (approximately 160000#) and climbing at approximately 5000 FPM. Approaching 15000' dulles approach control issued a clearance to intercept the armel 009 degree right to jeres and on course. Being very close to armel, I tried to tune the frequency from memory, and picked an incorrect frequency. I then went for my chart to get the correct frequency. While I was doing this the first officer placed the aircraft on autoplt to seek the frequency also. He noted autoplt engagement but not the altitude capture function that should also have been indicated due to our rate of climb and altitude. When I returned my attention from my chart we were passing 17200'. Autoplt was disengaged and manual level off accomplished--maximum altitude reached approximately 17500'. The large transport has computer generated and displayed flight plan information and jeres intersection is displayed only as a point not defined by radials. We as pilots become lax in having charts available at the ready due to the reliability of the new equipment and the more often then not cleared direct that we get from ATC. In the future I will have my chart more ready and see to it that only 1 pilot is looking for any information if the aircraft is in a climb or descent. ATC could be of more help when issuing non flight plan clrncs if, when very close to the intercept point, they would give the frequency of the NAVAID to be used (for example, 'intercept armel 009 degrees to jeres, armel frequency 113.5'). With ever expanding route systems for the air carrier, the pilot's memory may not be as familiar with frequency as when they served fewer airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT CLIMBED THROUGH CLEARED ALT BY 500'.

Narrative: DEPARTING DCA TO THE NW CLBING TO 17000' ON A HDG OF 320 DEGS, FIRST POINT OF FLT PLAN WAS JERES INTXN. ACFT WAS LIGHT (APPROX 160000#) AND CLBING AT APPROX 5000 FPM. APCHING 15000' DULLES APCH CTL ISSUED A CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE ARMEL 009 DEG R TO JERES AND ON COURSE. BEING VERY CLOSE TO ARMEL, I TRIED TO TUNE THE FREQ FROM MEMORY, AND PICKED AN INCORRECT FREQ. I THEN WENT FOR MY CHART TO GET THE CORRECT FREQ. WHILE I WAS DOING THIS THE F/O PLACED THE ACFT ON AUTOPLT TO SEEK THE FREQ ALSO. HE NOTED AUTOPLT ENGAGEMENT BUT NOT THE ALT CAPTURE FUNCTION THAT SHOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN INDICATED DUE TO OUR RATE OF CLB AND ALT. WHEN I RETURNED MY ATTN FROM MY CHART WE WERE PASSING 17200'. AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND MANUAL LEVEL OFF ACCOMPLISHED--MAX ALT REACHED APPROX 17500'. THE LGT HAS COMPUTER GENERATED AND DISPLAYED FLT PLAN INFO AND JERES INTXN IS DISPLAYED ONLY AS A POINT NOT DEFINED BY RADIALS. WE AS PLTS BECOME LAX IN HAVING CHARTS AVAILABLE AT THE READY DUE TO THE RELIABILITY OF THE NEW EQUIP AND THE MORE OFTEN THEN NOT CLRED DIRECT THAT WE GET FROM ATC. IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE MY CHART MORE READY AND SEE TO IT THAT ONLY 1 PLT IS LOOKING FOR ANY INFO IF THE ACFT IS IN A CLB OR DSCNT. ATC COULD BE OF MORE HELP WHEN ISSUING NON FLT PLAN CLRNCS IF, WHEN VERY CLOSE TO THE INTERCEPT POINT, THEY WOULD GIVE THE FREQ OF THE NAVAID TO BE USED (FOR EXAMPLE, 'INTERCEPT ARMEL 009 DEGS TO JERES, ARMEL FREQ 113.5'). WITH EVER EXPANDING ROUTE SYSTEMS FOR THE ACR, THE PLT'S MEMORY MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH FREQ AS WHEN THEY SERVED FEWER ARPTS.

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.