Narrative:

Shortly after departure from bwi flight xx was given a clearance to 12000'. Also I was cleared to an intersection that was not in our flight plan. Because the altitude and the intersection were not part of our filed flight plan, both needed to be programmed into the computer. The original flight plan altitude was 11000'. Upon receiving the new clearance I set 12000' into the MCP then consulted my chart and began programming the computer for the new intersection. Before I was able to complete the computations for the intersection, the aircraft on the autoplt leveled at 11000' as I had not yet set the new cruise altitude in the computer and the MCP could not override the computer in the VNAV function. The controller noticed our altitude and asked us to continue to 12000'. It is a very short and busy trip from bli to sea. I simply became overloaded trying to reprogram the computer. I could not simply turn off the computer as it was needed for direct navigation to the new intersection. Controllers should be made aware that changes in flight plan take time to reprogram and clrncs given accordingly. Also, perhaps if I had been more acquainted with this area I would have been faster in locating and programming the new intersection. This is a problem for large airlines when you fly over the entire us you become less specialized in 1 area. Perhaps large carriers should regionalize for better pilot proficiency!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ADVTECH MLG LEVELED OFF PRIOR TO REACHING CLEARED ALT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER DEP FROM BWI FLT XX WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO 12000'. ALSO I WAS CLRED TO AN INTXN THAT WAS NOT IN OUR FLT PLAN. BECAUSE THE ALT AND THE INTXN WERE NOT PART OF OUR FILED FLT PLAN, BOTH NEEDED TO BE PROGRAMMED INTO THE COMPUTER. THE ORIGINAL FLT PLAN ALT WAS 11000'. UPON RECEIVING THE NEW CLRNC I SET 12000' INTO THE MCP THEN CONSULTED MY CHART AND BEGAN PROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER FOR THE NEW INTXN. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE COMPUTATIONS FOR THE INTXN, THE ACFT ON THE AUTOPLT LEVELED AT 11000' AS I HAD NOT YET SET THE NEW CRUISE ALT IN THE COMPUTER AND THE MCP COULD NOT OVERRIDE THE COMPUTER IN THE VNAV FUNCTION. THE CTLR NOTICED OUR ALT AND ASKED US TO CONTINUE TO 12000'. IT IS A VERY SHORT AND BUSY TRIP FROM BLI TO SEA. I SIMPLY BECAME OVERLOADED TRYING TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER. I COULD NOT SIMPLY TURN OFF THE COMPUTER AS IT WAS NEEDED FOR DIRECT NAV TO THE NEW INTXN. CTLRS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT CHANGES IN FLT PLAN TAKE TIME TO REPROGRAM AND CLRNCS GIVEN ACCORDINGLY. ALSO, PERHAPS IF I HAD BEEN MORE ACQUAINTED WITH THIS AREA I WOULD HAVE BEEN FASTER IN LOCATING AND PROGRAMMING THE NEW INTXN. THIS IS A PROB FOR LARGE AIRLINES WHEN YOU FLY OVER THE ENTIRE U.S. YOU BECOME LESS SPECIALIZED IN 1 AREA. PERHAPS LARGE CARRIERS SHOULD REGIONALIZE FOR BETTER PLT PROFICIENCY!

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.