Narrative:

On our runway 12 departure from lgb our assigned altitude was 3000' and the assigned heading was the runway heading. The assigned altitude was busted by about 400-500'. First officer selected to fly the departure without use of the flight director. He had flown all previous departures using the flight director and autothrottles. I am practically certain that autothrottles were engaged for this takeoff in spite of the first officer's indication to the contrary. I noted his election as we took the runway and made a mental note to watch the speed carefully so we wouldn't bust through the limit in the air traffic area or the 250 KT limit below 10,000'. The first officer made SOP requests for mode control panel selections even though those selections would have no effect on throttle settings or any other 'magic' aids because the flight director switches were off. I punched the heading select button and the VNAV button when requested fully realizing that nothing would occur. I'm fairly certain I made the 'one to go' call as we left 2000' and the first officer has told me that he's also pretty sure I made it. Between 1800' and about 2200' coast gave us a vector, 'turn right heading 240 vectors to trm'. The first officer was somewhat surprised at the vector. The first officer was also scanning outside and began to question the vector heading when I heard the altitude alert. I saw the altimeter indicating between 3300' and 3500'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: ON OUR RWY 12 DEP FROM LGB OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3000' AND THE ASSIGNED HDG WAS THE RWY HDG. THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS BUSTED BY ABOUT 400-500'. F/O SELECTED TO FLY THE DEP WITHOUT USE OF THE FLT DIRECTOR. HE HAD FLOWN ALL PREVIOUS DEPS USING THE FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOTHROTTLES. I AM PRACTICALLY CERTAIN THAT AUTOTHROTTLES WERE ENGAGED FOR THIS TKOF IN SPITE OF THE F/O'S INDICATION TO THE CONTRARY. I NOTED HIS ELECTION AS WE TOOK THE RWY AND MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO WATCH THE SPEED CAREFULLY SO WE WOULDN'T BUST THROUGH THE LIMIT IN THE ATA OR THE 250 KT LIMIT BELOW 10,000'. THE F/O MADE SOP REQUESTS FOR MODE CONTROL PANEL SELECTIONS EVEN THOUGH THOSE SELECTIONS WOULD HAVE NO EFFECT ON THROTTLE SETTINGS OR ANY OTHER 'MAGIC' AIDS BECAUSE THE FLT DIRECTOR SWITCHES WERE OFF. I PUNCHED THE HDG SELECT BUTTON AND THE VNAV BUTTON WHEN REQUESTED FULLY REALIZING THAT NOTHING WOULD OCCUR. I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN I MADE THE 'ONE TO GO' CALL AS WE LEFT 2000' AND THE F/O HAS TOLD ME THAT HE'S ALSO PRETTY SURE I MADE IT. BETWEEN 1800' AND ABOUT 2200' COAST GAVE US A VECTOR, 'TURN RIGHT HDG 240 VECTORS TO TRM'. THE F/O WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED AT THE VECTOR. THE F/O WAS ALSO SCANNING OUTSIDE AND BEGAN TO QUESTION THE VECTOR HDG WHEN I HEARD THE ALT ALERT. I SAW THE ALTIMETER INDICATING BETWEEN 3300' AND 3500'.

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.