<< >> NASA ASRS Report 1762740, September 2020

Air carrier flight crew reported that while cleaning the cockpit displays; the altitude selector was inadvertently changed resulting in an altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	1762740
Time
Date	202009
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Altitude Hold/Capture
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

While enroute from ZZZ to ZZZ1 and approximately 10 nm west of ZZZ2; ZZZ center called to confirm that we were level at our assigned altitude of FL370. The autopilot and profile were engaged; but we were climbing through FL375. We disengaged the autopilot; descended back down to FL370; and reengaged the autopilot and profile. I think we reached ~ 750 high before descending.I did not notice the aircraft start a climb.do not become complacent in level cruise with the autopilot engaged.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier flight crew reported that while cleaning the cockpit displays; the altitude selector was inadvertently changed resulting in an altitude deviation.

Narrative: While enroute from ZZZ to ZZZ1 and approximately 10 nm west of ZZZ2; ZZZ Center called to confirm that we were level at our assigned altitude of FL370. The autopilot and profile were engaged; but we were climbing through FL375. We disengaged the autopilot; descended back down to FL370; and reengaged the autopilot and profile. I think we reached ~ 750 high before descending.I did not notice the aircraft start a climb.Do not become complacent in level cruise with the autopilot engaged.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.