Autoplt malfunction on acceptance training flight. Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	155138
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cea
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4900
ASRS Report	155138
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a delivery acceptance flight with a foreign national crew member, who had just received his type rating and he was in the left seat. I was PIC and occupying the right seat. On the previous flight I had squawked the autoplt hold function. Maintenance had found pin pushed back made adjustments and released the aircraft for flight. On this flight the autoplt malfunctioned again and we continued to climb through 35000' as we concentrated on another problem with the HF radios. We noticed at 35400' we were over our assigned altitude and were stating our descent when center mentioned our altitude. I was overloaded with an inexperienced crew member and too many things malfunctioning at one time. From now on everything needs to be working before taking on the load on a customer who does not speak english very well, has low time in type, is not familiar with either the area or the test procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUTOPLT MALFUNCTION ON ACCEPTANCE TRAINING FLT. ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A DELIVERY ACCEPTANCE FLT WITH A FOREIGN NATIONAL CREW MEMBER, WHO HAD JUST RECEIVED HIS TYPE RATING AND HE WAS IN THE L SEAT. I WAS PIC AND OCCUPYING THE R SEAT. ON THE PREVIOUS FLT I HAD SQUAWKED THE AUTOPLT HOLD FUNCTION. MAINT HAD FOUND PIN PUSHED BACK MADE ADJUSTMENTS AND RELEASED THE ACFT FOR FLT. ON THIS FLT THE AUTOPLT MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN AND WE CONTINUED TO CLB THROUGH 35000' AS WE CONCENTRATED ON ANOTHER PROB WITH THE HF RADIOS. WE NOTICED AT 35400' WE WERE OVER OUR ASSIGNED ALT AND WERE STATING OUR DSNT WHEN CTR MENTIONED OUR ALT. I WAS OVERLOADED WITH AN INEXPERIENCED CREW MEMBER AND TOO MANY THINGS MALFUNCTIONING AT ONE TIME. FROM NOW ON EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE WORKING BEFORE TAKING ON THE LOAD ON A CUSTOMER WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL, HAS LOW TIME IN TYPE, IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH EITHER THE AREA OR THE TEST PROC.

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.