Narrative:

Air carrier X tried to get our pre departure clearance out of ewr. We were advised that ZNY computer was down. After we explained our route of flight and etc, we received our clearance. After departure we were told to contact center. Center was a little confused due to the computer outage. We were cleared from 10000 ft to 16000 ft and asked to maintain best forward speed. Out of about 12200 ft we were asked to slow to 250 KTS and maintain 13000 ft. The autoplt went into the capture phase but due to the late call I could see that the FMS wasn't going to make the leveloff at 13000 ft. I disconnected autoplt and started to level off. I still wasn't able to make the 13000 ft and drifted up to 13280 ft. I was able to stabilize back at 13000 ft very shortly. At the same time we were cleared direct sax to hold as published with no further EAC time due to computer problems. Sax was not on our route of flight, and our FMS did not have a computed hold at sax. When we could get a word in we finally found out the radial to hold on. We were eventually cleared out of the new york area at 13000 ft and later stepped climb to a higher altitude. Twice during this time we were asked where we were going and our route of flight. No mention was made of our altitude deviation and there wasn't enough time to ask about the late leveloff they requested and the many requests made for routing, speed, and heading changes. The center people were as busy as we were. My only comment would be that if the system can't cope without their computer system, I would rather wait at the gate until it is fixed or have a plan before center starts releasing aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH CLB THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ACR X TRIED TO GET OUR PDC OUT OF EWR. WE WERE ADVISED THAT ZNY COMPUTER WAS DOWN. AFTER WE EXPLAINED OUR RTE OF FLT AND ETC, WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC. AFTER DEP WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT CTR. CTR WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED DUE TO THE COMPUTER OUTAGE. WE WERE CLRED FROM 10000 FT TO 16000 FT AND ASKED TO MAINTAIN BEST FORWARD SPD. OUT OF ABOUT 12200 FT WE WERE ASKED TO SLOW TO 250 KTS AND MAINTAIN 13000 FT. THE AUTOPLT WENT INTO THE CAPTURE PHASE BUT DUE TO THE LATE CALL I COULD SEE THAT THE FMS WASN'T GOING TO MAKE THE LEVELOFF AT 13000 FT. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND STARTED TO LEVEL OFF. I STILL WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE 13000 FT AND DRIFTED UP TO 13280 FT. I WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE BACK AT 13000 FT VERY SHORTLY. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE CLRED DIRECT SAX TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED WITH NO FURTHER EAC TIME DUE TO COMPUTER PROBS. SAX WAS NOT ON OUR RTE OF FLT, AND OUR FMS DID NOT HAVE A COMPUTED HOLD AT SAX. WHEN WE COULD GET A WORD IN WE FINALLY FOUND OUT THE RADIAL TO HOLD ON. WE WERE EVENTUALLY CLRED OUT OF THE NEW YORK AREA AT 13000 FT AND LATER STEPPED CLB TO A HIGHER ALT. TWICE DURING THIS TIME WE WERE ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING AND OUR RTE OF FLT. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF OUR ALTDEV AND THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME TO ASK ABOUT THE LATE LEVELOFF THEY REQUESTED AND THE MANY REQUESTS MADE FOR ROUTING, SPD, AND HDG CHANGES. THE CTR PEOPLE WERE AS BUSY AS WE WERE. MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE THAT IF THE SYS CAN'T COPE WITHOUT THEIR COMPUTER SYS, I WOULD RATHER WAIT AT THE GATE UNTIL IT IS FIXED OR HAVE A PLAN BEFORE CTR STARTS RELEASING ACFT.

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.