Altitude deviation altitude overshot on SID when FMC drops SID and route out of data base.

Attributes
ACN	177588
Time
Date	199104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 3250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial cruise other
Route In Use	departure : noise abatement departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 59
ASRS Report	177588
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 59
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff at approximately 400' AGL, all information re: current flight dumped from the FMC except the departure airport and the destination airport in the route. After gear up and through 400', noticed no magenta line and advised captain. He proceeded to fly the departure procedure noise abatement visually. Also after calling climb derate 2, the FMC would not control the automatic throttle, so captain manually pulled throttles to what he thought was a derated climb. Further we were both distracted by this mishap and we went 250' above assigned altitude, but immediately recaptured 3000'. I don't believe another crew could have handled the situation much differently. Personally I had never been to sna prior to this--the captain had. If we were not VFR, we would have had no way to navigation. Luckily, the captain knew were the visibility references were to the SID. I had less than 60 hours in type as well as the captain. Although I don't know if this was contributing, perhaps a more experienced crew could have reacted faster? Ps: the captain notified scheduling prior to the trip sequence about the lack of crew experience. He was assured it was legal, but in my opinion it was not safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION ALT OVERSHOT ON SID WHEN FMC DROPS SID AND ROUTE OUT OF DATA BASE.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF AT APPROX 400' AGL, ALL INFO RE: CURRENT FLT DUMPED FROM THE FMC EXCEPT THE DEP ARPT AND THE DEST ARPT IN THE RTE. AFTER GEAR UP AND THROUGH 400', NOTICED NO MAGENTA LINE AND ADVISED CAPT. HE PROCEEDED TO FLY THE DEP PROC NOISE ABATEMENT VISUALLY. ALSO AFTER CALLING CLB DERATE 2, THE FMC WOULD NOT CTL THE AUTO THROTTLE, SO CAPT MANUALLY PULLED THROTTLES TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A DERATED CLB. FURTHER WE WERE BOTH DISTRACTED BY THIS MISHAP AND WE WENT 250' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT, BUT IMMEDIATELY RECAPTURED 3000'. I DON'T BELIEVE ANOTHER CREW COULD HAVE HANDLED THE SITUATION MUCH DIFFERENTLY. PERSONALLY I HAD NEVER BEEN TO SNA PRIOR TO THIS--THE CAPT HAD. IF WE WERE NOT VFR, WE WOULD HAVE HAD NO WAY TO NAV. LUCKILY, THE CAPT KNEW WERE THE VIS REFS WERE TO THE SID. I HAD LESS THAN 60 HRS IN TYPE AS WELL AS THE CAPT. ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS CONTRIBUTING, PERHAPS A MORE EXPERIENCED CREW COULD HAVE REACTED FASTER? PS: THE CAPT NOTIFIED SCHEDULING PRIOR TO THE TRIP SEQUENCE ABOUT THE LACK OF CREW EXPERIENCE. HE WAS ASSURED IT WAS LEGAL, BUT IN MY OPINION IT WAS NOT SAFE.

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.