Climb procedure delayed due to aircraft equipment problem malfunction.

Attributes
ACN	250765
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptw
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	250765
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were on vectors to ptw and level at 17000 ft. We were cleared to climb to FL230. The captain started to respond when suddenly the autoplt and autothrottles kicked off and both of our FMC screens went blank. I started researching the 'blackout' checklist. The captain also asked me to have the flight attendants see if anyone was operating a computer in back. Meanwhile he had leveled off actually, he hadn't started the climb. Maybe 3-5 or 2-4 mins went by. He had to pull circuit breakers and transferred the plane to me. About that time center queried us about our climb. I climbed and he continued to work the problem. Eventually we got all our instruments back except for his flight director. We can select both on 1 system, mine, and continued on. I don't believe our delay to climb caused problems with ATC. We had our hands full for a moment. The main reason I wrote is that this could easily have been caused by outside interference from the computer, I don't know. I've seen flight director malfunctions before but not like this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLB PROC DELAYED DUE TO ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS TO PTW AND LEVEL AT 17000 FT. WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO FL230. THE CAPT STARTED TO RESPOND WHEN SUDDENLY THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES KICKED OFF AND BOTH OF OUR FMC SCREENS WENT BLANK. I STARTED RESEARCHING THE 'BLACKOUT' CHKLIST. THE CAPT ALSO ASKED ME TO HAVE THE FLT ATTENDANTS SEE IF ANYONE WAS OPERATING A COMPUTER IN BACK. MEANWHILE HE HAD LEVELED OFF ACTUALLY, HE HADN'T STARTED THE CLB. MAYBE 3-5 OR 2-4 MINS WENT BY. HE HAD TO PULL CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND TRANSFERRED THE PLANE TO ME. ABOUT THAT TIME CTR QUERIED US ABOUT OUR CLB. I CLBED AND HE CONTINUED TO WORK THE PROB. EVENTUALLY WE GOT ALL OUR INSTS BACK EXCEPT FOR HIS FLT DIRECTOR. WE CAN SELECT BOTH ON 1 SYS, MINE, AND CONTINUED ON. I DON'T BELIEVE OUR DELAY TO CLB CAUSED PROBS WITH ATC. WE HAD OUR HANDS FULL FOR A MOMENT. THE MAIN REASON I WROTE IS THAT THIS COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE FROM THE COMPUTER, I DON'T KNOW. I'VE SEEN FLT DIRECTOR MALFUNCTIONS BEFORE BUT NOT LIKE THIS.

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.