Altitude bust during climb.

Attributes
ACN	279464
Time
Date	199408
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : egtt
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : egtt
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	279464
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing manchester uk in a boeing 767-300. Autothrottles placarded inoperative (very unusual) when at 4000 ft AGL, VNAV mode selected. Because of the inoperative autothrottles the flight director was searching for a pitch to match the power that was hand set. We were cleared to 17000 ft and continued to climb. Flight director recycled several times and lots of discussion as to why command bars wouldn't marry up. Called 16 for 17000 ft and attention was immediately drawn to the probable reason we were having the problem by the captain. 'Good, we've finally got it figured out!' attention was refocused on instruments, as we went through 17000 ft. Alerter went off and climb was arrested at 17400 ft. To his credit controller saw (I assume) what transpired and immediately issued a clearance to a higher altitude. Multiple problems. Fragmented attention trying to figure out what's broken in a critical phase of flight and forgot why we are there. 'When all else fails fly the doggone airplane.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST DURING CLB.

Narrative: DEPARTING MANCHESTER UK IN A BOEING 767-300. AUTOTHROTTLES PLACARDED INOP (VERY UNUSUAL) WHEN AT 4000 FT AGL, VNAV MODE SELECTED. BECAUSE OF THE INOP AUTOTHROTTLES THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS SEARCHING FOR A PITCH TO MATCH THE PWR THAT WAS HAND SET. WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT AND CONTINUED TO CLB. FLT DIRECTOR RECYCLED SEVERAL TIMES AND LOTS OF DISCUSSION AS TO WHY COMMAND BARS WOULDN'T MARRY UP. CALLED 16 FOR 17000 FT AND ATTN WAS IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO THE PROBABLE REASON WE WERE HAVING THE PROB BY THE CAPT. 'GOOD, WE'VE FINALLY GOT IT FIGURED OUT!' ATTN WAS REFOCUSED ON INSTS, AS WE WENT THROUGH 17000 FT. ALERTER WENT OFF AND CLB WAS ARRESTED AT 17400 FT. TO HIS CREDIT CTLR SAW (I ASSUME) WHAT TRANSPIRED AND IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A CLRNC TO A HIGHER ALT. MULTIPLE PROBS. FRAGMENTED ATTN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S BROKEN IN A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT AND FORGOT WHY WE ARE THERE. 'WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS FLY THE DOGGONE AIRPLANE.'

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.