Narrative:

Cleared roc-bwi runway heading to 10000' for vectors to wellsville VOR. Flying an intermix aircraft with non-standard (for our division) cockpit confign. This was the first flight in a non-standard confign aircraft after 2 days in a standard confign aircraft, and only the eighth total leg in an non-standard confign for either pilot. This was a ferry flight and as such was light weight and acceleration and climb were rapid. Due to non-standard confign, PNF mistakenly set DME off rather than transponder on prior to takeoff because location and knobs were similarly placed and was asked to turn on transponder after takeoff, which he accomplished after finding the appropriate switch. While climbing at 4000+ FPM, we were directed to contact departure control and were asked by departure to verify climbing through 4600'. The PNF verified passing 4600'. A few seconds later, at about 5200', the departure controller reportedly issued a turn to 180 degrees and climb to 6000'. Due to turbulence, IMC WX and unfamiliar cockpit layout, PF started a turn to 180 degrees, but did not acknowledge 6000' clearance. If a clearance to 6000' was given, understood and acknowledged and set in the heading and altitude reminders as soon as possible, it still would have been difficult to safely stop the climb at 6000' due to rate of climb, and late change of altitudes. Controller, sensing rate of climb approaching 6000', asked if we would level at 6000', then gave a turn to 110 degrees away from traffic at 7000'. We stopped climb at 6400' immediately descended to 6000', and asked controller about the new altitude as neither of us had understood the 6000' altitude restriction. Entire incident occurred within 2 mins after takeoff. If a clearance was received and acknowledged and an altitude deviation did occur, the distraction of a non-standard cockpit would be a primary contributing factor. Supplemental information from acn 134782: given heading 180 degrees and climb to 6000'. At a time of momentary distraction caused by a seemingly uncooperative flight director/autothrottle command brought to my attention by the PF. The new altitude did not properly get set in the window, nor did it register appropriately with the air crew.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING CLIMB RESULTING IN CLOSE PROX WITH OTHER ACR.

Narrative: CLRED ROC-BWI RWY HDG TO 10000' FOR VECTORS TO WELLSVILLE VOR. FLYING AN INTERMIX ACFT WITH NON-STANDARD (FOR OUR DIVISION) COCKPIT CONFIGN. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT IN A NON-STANDARD CONFIGN ACFT AFTER 2 DAYS IN A STANDARD CONFIGN ACFT, AND ONLY THE EIGHTH TOTAL LEG IN AN NON-STANDARD CONFIGN FOR EITHER PLT. THIS WAS A FERRY FLT AND AS SUCH WAS LIGHT WT AND ACCELERATION AND CLB WERE RAPID. DUE TO NON-STANDARD CONFIGN, PNF MISTAKENLY SET DME OFF RATHER THAN XPONDER ON PRIOR TO TKOF BECAUSE LOCATION AND KNOBS WERE SIMILARLY PLACED AND WAS ASKED TO TURN ON XPONDER AFTER TKOF, WHICH HE ACCOMPLISHED AFTER FINDING THE APPROPRIATE SWITCH. WHILE CLBING AT 4000+ FPM, WE WERE DIRECTED TO CONTACT DEP CTL AND WERE ASKED BY DEP TO VERIFY CLBING THROUGH 4600'. THE PNF VERIFIED PASSING 4600'. A FEW SECS LATER, AT ABOUT 5200', THE DEP CTLR REPORTEDLY ISSUED A TURN TO 180 DEGS AND CLB TO 6000'. DUE TO TURB, IMC WX AND UNFAMILIAR COCKPIT LAYOUT, PF STARTED A TURN TO 180 DEGS, BUT DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE 6000' CLRNC. IF A CLRNC TO 6000' WAS GIVEN, UNDERSTOOD AND ACKNOWLEDGED AND SET IN THE HDG AND ALT REMINDERS ASAP, IT STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO SAFELY STOP THE CLB AT 6000' DUE TO RATE OF CLB, AND LATE CHANGE OF ALTS. CTLR, SENSING RATE OF CLB APCHING 6000', ASKED IF WE WOULD LEVEL AT 6000', THEN GAVE A TURN TO 110 DEGS AWAY FROM TFC AT 7000'. WE STOPPED CLB AT 6400' IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 6000', AND ASKED CTLR ABOUT THE NEW ALT AS NEITHER OF US HAD UNDERSTOOD THE 6000' ALT RESTRICTION. ENTIRE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHIN 2 MINS AFTER TKOF. IF A CLRNC WAS RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED AND AN ALT DEVIATION DID OCCUR, THE DISTR OF A NON-STANDARD COCKPIT WOULD BE A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 134782: GIVEN HDG 180 DEGS AND CLB TO 6000'. AT A TIME OF MOMENTARY DISTR CAUSED BY A SEEMINGLY UNCOOPERATIVE FLT DIRECTOR/AUTOTHROTTLE COMMAND BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY THE PF. THE NEW ALT DID NOT PROPERLY GET SET IN THE WINDOW, NOR DID IT REGISTER APPROPRIATELY WITH THE AIR CREW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.