First officer flying, new to widebody transport type aircraft, overshot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	112874
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	112874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were departing slc en route to pdx. This was my first rotation as a first officer on the widebody transport. We departed runway 34L with a clearance for runway heading and 8000'. At 5700' MSL we were given a turn to 270 degree. As I completed the turn I scanned the altimeter and we were passing 8000'. I immediately took corrective actions, however, we did have a slight altitude deviation. Since I was flying, this deviation was my fault, however, there were several contributing factors. The first was my inexperience on the widebody transport aircraft with the advanced electronic flight instruments. Secondly, was the fact that this incident occurred at about XX40 mdt on a heading of 270 degree. As I completed the turn I was looking right into the sun. This was a strong distraction and made it difficult to see the flight instruments. This caused me to miss the altitude alert illumination. Also, contributing to this incident was the captain's temporary distraction due to ATC demands and a problem with the automatic throttle and/or eec on the left engine. A final contributing factor was the higher workload experienced on a 2 pilot automated aircraft when any type of system abnormality occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO FLYING, NEW TO WDB TYPE ACFT, OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING SLC ENRTE TO PDX. THIS WAS MY FIRST ROTATION AS A F/O ON THE WDB. WE DEPARTED RWY 34L WITH A CLRNC FOR RWY HDG AND 8000'. AT 5700' MSL WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 270 DEG. AS I COMPLETED THE TURN I SCANNED THE ALTIMETER AND WE WERE PASSING 8000'. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT ALT DEVIATION. SINCE I WAS FLYING, THIS DEVIATION WAS MY FAULT, HOWEVER, THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. THE FIRST WAS MY INEXPERIENCE ON THE WDB ACFT WITH THE ADVANCED ELECTRONIC FLT INSTRUMENTS. SECONDLY, WAS THE FACT THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT ABOUT XX40 MDT ON A HDG OF 270 DEG. AS I COMPLETED THE TURN I WAS LOOKING RIGHT INTO THE SUN. THIS WAS A STRONG DISTR AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE FLT INSTRUMENTS. THIS CAUSED ME TO MISS THE ALT ALERT ILLUMINATION. ALSO, CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE CAPT'S TEMPORARY DISTR DUE TO ATC DEMANDS AND A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTO THROTTLE AND/OR EEC ON THE LEFT ENGINE. A FINAL CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGHER WORKLOAD EXPERIENCED ON A 2 PLT AUTOMATED ACFT WHEN ANY TYPE OF SYSTEM ABNORMALITY OCCURS.

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.