Narrative:

Our fleet consists of analog cockpits that are being converted to EFIS cockpits. The majority of the aircraft are still analog, the minority EFIS. Both captain and first officer had been trained on EFIS equipment, however, neither of us had flown it much. This incident occurred in an EFIS equipped aircraft. On climb out ZID advised us to maintain 15000 ft for traffic crossing 1000 ft above (crossing at 16000 ft). As we climbed through 14000 ft I called '14000 for 15000 ft.' then I diverted my attention to other duties -- checking the chart for frequencys, airways, etc. On my next instrument scan, I noticed the altimeter approaching 15300 ft and climbing. I anxiously stated 'watch your altitude!' the PF (captain) disconnected the autoplt and descended to 15000 ft. I estimate we reached 15400 ft. The altitude infraction occurred because the PF inadvertently failed to get the autoplt into the altitude capture mode. Through vigilance I caught the altitude within 300 ft. Had I been more proficient on EFIS equipment, I would have caught the problem prior to its causing an altitude infraction by checking that the altitude capture mode had activated. Supplemental information from acn 238390: we were climbing at approximately 3000 FPM. This was the first time I had a malfunctioning system and it caught me off guard. It (the flight director) is so automatic -- all that fancy stuff -- but it's still just a machine. I found out the hard way. Supplemental information from acn 237462: at present time, some crew members go 3 or more months without encountering EFIS configured aircraft and then are assigned a leg using EFIS equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST. ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT. POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS ENSUED.

Narrative: OUR FLEET CONSISTS OF ANALOG COCKPITS THAT ARE BEING CONVERTED TO EFIS COCKPITS. THE MAJORITY OF THE ACFT ARE STILL ANALOG, THE MINORITY EFIS. BOTH CAPT AND FO HAD BEEN TRAINED ON EFIS EQUIP, HOWEVER, NEITHER OF US HAD FLOWN IT MUCH. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN AN EFIS EQUIPPED ACFT. ON CLBOUT ZID ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN 15000 FT FOR TFC XING 1000 FT ABOVE (XING AT 16000 FT). AS WE CLBED THROUGH 14000 FT I CALLED '14000 FOR 15000 FT.' THEN I DIVERTED MY ATTN TO OTHER DUTIES -- CHKING THE CHART FOR FREQS, AIRWAYS, ETC. ON MY NEXT INST SCAN, I NOTICED THE ALTIMETER APCHING 15300 FT AND CLBING. I ANXIOUSLY STATED 'WATCH YOUR ALT!' THE PF (CAPT) DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND DSNDED TO 15000 FT. I ESTIMATE WE REACHED 15400 FT. THE ALT INFRACTION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE PF INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO GET THE AUTOPLT INTO THE ALT CAPTURE MODE. THROUGH VIGILANCE I CAUGHT THE ALT WITHIN 300 FT. HAD I BEEN MORE PROFICIENT ON EFIS EQUIP, I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE PROB PRIOR TO ITS CAUSING AN ALT INFRACTION BY CHKING THAT THE ALT CAPTURE MODE HAD ACTIVATED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 238390: WE WERE CLBING AT APPROX 3000 FPM. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD A MALFUNCTIONING SYS AND IT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. IT (THE FLT DIRECTOR) IS SO AUTOMATIC -- ALL THAT FANCY STUFF -- BUT IT'S STILL JUST A MACHINE. I FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 237462: AT PRESENT TIME, SOME CREW MEMBERS GO 3 OR MORE MONTHS WITHOUT ENCOUNTERING EFIS CONFIGURED ACFT AND THEN ARE ASSIGNED A LEG USING EFIS EQUIP.

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.