Narrative:

While climbing after takeoff to 13,000' we 'overshot' the assigned altitude by 500' (13,500) and immediately leveled back to 13,000. Related factors: both pilots type rated large transport widebody transport. Both pilots initially trained on and experienced on widebody transport. Large transport and widebody transport flown interchangeably by same crews. In that large transport and widebody transport are common type rating, once having the initial check out in one no further aircraft checkout required for the other. It's possible for a legal large transport crew to have never flown the aircraft and be assigned a revenue flight! This was my 4TH leg in the large transport. This was the captain's 1ST! While it is extremely common large transport to the widebody transport there are subtle differences that are distracting if it's your first encounter with the large transport. In this case I missed my 1000' before level off call because I was distracted by either being assigned or miss selecting the appropriate radio frequency. Keeping in mind that the light large transport is climbing at 500 FPM. I'm not used to this. The captain surely wasn't. And for his first flight in the airplane to be climbing at 400 FPM in clouds and snow with copilot that is also new to the aircraft, is only stacking the deck against yourself. In essence I was 'given' the job of 'checking out the new guy' but I don't have enough experience in the large transport to do this and watch everything else. I would most strongly urge that we return to the policy of sending a check airman with each captain for a few legs. Let the new guy work out the kinks with someone on board that is trained, comfortable and familiar with watching the whole operation and the other pilot should the need arise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB. UNABLE CALLBACK ACCOUNT PHONE PROBLEMS OR WRONG NUMBER.

Narrative: WHILE CLIMBING AFTER TKOF TO 13,000' WE 'OVERSHOT' THE ASSIGNED ALT BY 500' (13,500) AND IMMEDIATELY LEVELED BACK TO 13,000. RELATED FACTORS: BOTH PLTS TYPE RATED LGT WDB. BOTH PLTS INITIALLY TRAINED ON AND EXPERIENCED ON WDB. LGT AND WDB FLOWN INTERCHANGEABLY BY SAME CREWS. IN THAT LGT AND WDB ARE COMMON TYPE RATING, ONCE HAVING THE INITIAL CHECK OUT IN ONE NO FURTHER ACFT CHECKOUT REQUIRED FOR THE OTHER. IT'S POSSIBLE FOR A LEGAL LGT CREW TO HAVE NEVER FLOWN THE ACFT AND BE ASSIGNED A REVENUE FLT! THIS WAS MY 4TH LEG IN THE LGT. THIS WAS THE CAPT'S 1ST! WHILE IT IS EXTREMELY COMMON LGT TO THE WDB THERE ARE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES THAT ARE DISTRACTING IF IT'S YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE LGT. IN THIS CASE I MISSED MY 1000' BEFORE LEVEL OFF CALL BECAUSE I WAS DISTRACTED BY EITHER BEING ASSIGNED OR MISS SELECTING THE APPROPRIATE RADIO FREQ. KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE LIGHT LGT IS CLIMBING AT 500 FPM. I'M NOT USED TO THIS. THE CAPT SURELY WASN'T. AND FOR HIS FIRST FLT IN THE AIRPLANE TO BE CLIMBING AT 400 FPM IN CLOUDS AND SNOW WITH COPLT THAT IS ALSO NEW TO THE ACFT, IS ONLY STACKING THE DECK AGAINST YOURSELF. IN ESSENCE I WAS 'GIVEN' THE JOB OF 'CHECKING OUT THE NEW GUY' BUT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN THE LGT TO DO THIS AND WATCH EVERYTHING ELSE. I WOULD MOST STRONGLY URGE THAT WE RETURN TO THE POLICY OF SENDING A CHECK AIRMAN WITH EACH CAPT FOR A FEW LEGS. LET THE NEW GUY WORK OUT THE KINKS WITH SOMEONE ON BOARD THAT IS TRAINED, COMFORTABLE AND FAMILIAR WITH WATCHING THE WHOLE OPERATION AND THE OTHER PLT SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

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.