Narrative:

During takeoff clearance from tower, a new altitude restriction was given (old clearance 10000', new one 3000'). I rogered takeoff clearance and no delay instructions, but did not read back the new altitude clearance. Neither myself nor the other pilot had heard the change. After takeoff we climbed to 10000'. During check-in with departure, he told us we had had a 3000' clearance and had flown through it. We were cleared to continue climb to 10000'. At 10000' the digital autoplt malfunctioned. It lost its pitch control mode and did not annunciate either a command mode, a control wheel steering mode or a failure. The pilots took over and manually flew back to 10000'. An altitude deviation to 10500' occurred. Supplemental information from acn 136475: the following day the crew listened to recordings of the radio conservation with the tower made by the company-owned radio station. This recording revealed that a 3000' clearance had been issued by the tower, along with the immediate takeoff clearance. The tapes also revealed that this clearance was not acknowledged by either crew member, nor did the tower attempt to gain further affirmation of the clearance to 3000'. The primary reason for the first missed altitude was the failure of good intentions on the part of the tower personnel to get the flight off as quickly as possible. These efforts would have succeeded west/O any problems had the pilot of the landing airplane been attentive and followed the instructions to change runways the first time they were issued. The second missed altitude was due to equipment failure and a momentary overshoot of 500' is not considered excessive. The notification of the first missed altitude by center is considered unnecessary, however, as it creates a distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ON A PRODUCTION TEST FLT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT.

Narrative: DURING TKOF CLRNC FROM TWR, A NEW ALT RESTRICTION WAS GIVEN (OLD CLRNC 10000', NEW ONE 3000'). I ROGERED TKOF CLRNC AND NO DELAY INSTRUCTIONS, BUT DID NOT READ BACK THE NEW ALT CLRNC. NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE OTHER PLT HAD HEARD THE CHANGE. AFTER TKOF WE CLBED TO 10000'. DURING CHK-IN WITH DEP, HE TOLD US WE HAD HAD A 3000' CLRNC AND HAD FLOWN THROUGH IT. WE WERE CLRED TO CONTINUE CLB TO 10000'. AT 10000' THE DIGITAL AUTOPLT MALFUNCTIONED. IT LOST ITS PITCH CONTROL MODE AND DID NOT ANNUNCIATE EITHER A COMMAND MODE, A CONTROL WHEEL STEERING MODE OR A FAILURE. THE PLTS TOOK OVER AND MANUALLY FLEW BACK TO 10000'. AN ALT DEVIATION TO 10500' OCCURRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 136475: THE FOLLOWING DAY THE CREW LISTENED TO RECORDINGS OF THE RADIO CONSERVATION WITH THE TWR MADE BY THE COMPANY-OWNED RADIO STATION. THIS RECORDING REVEALED THAT A 3000' CLRNC HAD BEEN ISSUED BY THE TWR, ALONG WITH THE IMMEDIATE TKOF CLRNC. THE TAPES ALSO REVEALED THAT THIS CLRNC WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED BY EITHER CREW MEMBER, NOR DID THE TWR ATTEMPT TO GAIN FURTHER AFFIRMATION OF THE CLRNC TO 3000'. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE FIRST MISSED ALT WAS THE FAILURE OF GOOD INTENTIONS ON THE PART OF THE TWR PERSONNEL TO GET THE FLT OFF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THESE EFFORTS WOULD HAVE SUCCEEDED W/O ANY PROBS HAD THE PLT OF THE LNDG AIRPLANE BEEN ATTENTIVE AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO CHANGE RWYS THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE ISSUED. THE SECOND MISSED ALT WAS DUE TO EQUIP FAILURE AND A MOMENTARY OVERSHOOT OF 500' IS NOT CONSIDERED EXCESSIVE. THE NOTIFICATION OF THE FIRST MISSED ALT BY CENTER IS CONSIDERED UNNECESSARY, HOWEVER, AS IT CREATES A DISTR.

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.