Narrative:

The flight associated with this event was a first of a model certification flight for the first of a model. Additionally, a new abc ACARS until was being certified and normal production functional checks were to be accomplished. The call sign for the flight was xx. The flight was planned as a local IFR flight departing and arriving at pae. I was the PIC acting as the PNF in the right seat. The govt pilot was flying the aircraft from the left seat, which is customary for these flts. The flight departed pae at XA04 on 12/tue/89. The climb, cruise and descent portions of the flight were routine. At approximately XB25 we intercepted the localizer for the ILS 16R approach at pae. The autoplt was engaged and the objective was to functionally check the triple channel automatic landing system to a full stop. Normal approach procedures were accomplished, however as we descended on the G/south, it became apparent that our triple channel approach was going to default to a dual channel approach. The avionics technician onboard said he would like to enter the electronics bay to attempt to correct the problem (it is common for us to change 'black boxes' during our flts). Therefore we decided to go around and attempt to fix the problem on downwind and rechk the triple channel autoland on a second ILS approach. We initiated an automatic go around at approximately 1400' MSL and informed pae tower. The tower informed us to go around as published and to switch to ZSE. We were approaching 2000' MSL, which is the missed approach altitude, and I commanded the FAA PF to maintain altitude,then looked away to tune the radio and contact ZSE. When I looked back I noticed our altitude peak at approximately 2600' MSL, and then recover to 2000' MSL. The time duration of the altitude deviation was short, and as far as I know, there was no conflict. I contacted ZSE and the remainder of the missed approach and subsequent ILS approach were accomplished west/O incident. Many subtle factors contribute to these incidents; however, the most significant factor seems to be the govt pilot's failure to assertively level the aircraft, combined with my attempting to contact ZSE at that critical moment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. OVERSHOOT IN CLIMB DURING GO AROUND.

Narrative: THE FLT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT WAS A FIRST OF A MODEL CERTIFICATION FLT FOR THE FIRST OF A MODEL. ADDITIONALLY, A NEW ABC ACARS UNTIL WAS BEING CERTIFIED AND NORMAL PRODUCTION FUNCTIONAL CHKS WERE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. THE CALL SIGN FOR THE FLT WAS XX. THE FLT WAS PLANNED AS A LCL IFR FLT DEPARTING AND ARRIVING AT PAE. I WAS THE PIC ACTING AS THE PNF IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE GOVT PLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT FROM THE LEFT SEAT, WHICH IS CUSTOMARY FOR THESE FLTS. THE FLT DEPARTED PAE AT XA04 ON 12/TUE/89. THE CLB, CRUISE AND DSCNT PORTIONS OF THE FLT WERE ROUTINE. AT APPROX XB25 WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC FOR THE ILS 16R APCH AT PAE. THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO FUNCTIONALLY CHK THE TRIPLE CHANNEL AUTOMATIC LNDG SYS TO A FULL STOP. NORMAL APCH PROCS WERE ACCOMPLISHED, HOWEVER AS WE DSNDED ON THE G/S, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT OUR TRIPLE CHANNEL APCH WAS GOING TO DEFAULT TO A DUAL CHANNEL APCH. THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN ONBOARD SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO ENTER THE ELECTRONICS BAY TO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROB (IT IS COMMON FOR US TO CHANGE 'BLACK BOXES' DURING OUR FLTS). THEREFORE WE DECIDED TO GO AROUND AND ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROB ON DOWNWIND AND RECHK THE TRIPLE CHANNEL AUTOLAND ON A SECOND ILS APCH. WE INITIATED AN AUTOMATIC GAR AT APPROX 1400' MSL AND INFORMED PAE TWR. THE TWR INFORMED US TO GO AROUND AS PUBLISHED AND TO SWITCH TO ZSE. WE WERE APCHING 2000' MSL, WHICH IS THE MISSED APCH ALT, AND I COMMANDED THE FAA PF TO MAINTAIN ALT,THEN LOOKED AWAY TO TUNE THE RADIO AND CONTACT ZSE. WHEN I LOOKED BACK I NOTICED OUR ALT PEAK AT APPROX 2600' MSL, AND THEN RECOVER TO 2000' MSL. THE TIME DURATION OF THE ALT DEVIATION WAS SHORT, AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. I CONTACTED ZSE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE MISSED APCH AND SUBSEQUENT ILS APCH WERE ACCOMPLISHED W/O INCIDENT. MANY SUBTLE FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO THESE INCIDENTS; HOWEVER, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTOR SEEMS TO BE THE GOVT PLT'S FAILURE TO ASSERTIVELY LEVEL THE ACFT, COMBINED WITH MY ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ZSE AT THAT CRITICAL MOMENT.

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.