Flight crew of a corporate jet overshot climb altitude due to misop of the aircraft autoplt coupler.

Attributes
ACN	311450
Time
Date	199507
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9050 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	311450
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to an intermediate climb altitude of 15000 ft on departure from rdu. I was the PNF in the left seat and at approximately 13500 ft we entered a cloud layer which caused our pulsing recognition light to reflect back in our eyes. I reached over to turn it off and as I looked back up the PF was rapidly approaching 15000 ft and the autoplt had not captured the altitude. The PF disconnected the autoplt and we went approximately 800 ft above our assigned altitude before starting back down. Center (or departure) called as we were starting back down and we acknowledged their call. We leveled back off at 15000 ft and the remainder of the flight was normal. The altitude deviation occurred because the PF engaged the autoplt at approximately 14000 ft however it was slaved to the left side of the aircraft. He then selected it off and then back on to his side. By then it had passed through the altitude capture point and did not initiate a level off. The deviation was due to the PF's limited time in the aircraft and familiarization with this model autoplt and its annunciation of captured modes. A contributing factor was my distraction from the flashing recognition light. As a corrective action I spent time explaining more thoroughly the operation of the autoplt and the EFIS annunciations when a mode has been captured (or not captured in this instance).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CORPORATE JET OVERSHOT CLB ALT DUE TO MISOP OF THE ACFT AUTOPLT COUPLER.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO AN INTERMEDIATE CLB ALT OF 15000 FT ON DEP FROM RDU. I WAS THE PNF IN THE L SEAT AND AT APPROX 13500 FT WE ENTERED A CLOUD LAYER WHICH CAUSED OUR PULSING RECOGNITION LIGHT TO REFLECT BACK IN OUR EYES. I REACHED OVER TO TURN IT OFF AND AS I LOOKED BACK UP THE PF WAS RAPIDLY APCHING 15000 FT AND THE AUTOPLT HAD NOT CAPTURED THE ALT. THE PF DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND WE WENT APPROX 800 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE STARTING BACK DOWN. CTR (OR DEP) CALLED AS WE WERE STARTING BACK DOWN AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR CALL. WE LEVELED BACK OFF AT 15000 FT AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE ALTDEV OCCURRED BECAUSE THE PF ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AT APPROX 14000 FT HOWEVER IT WAS SLAVED TO THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. HE THEN SELECTED IT OFF AND THEN BACK ON TO HIS SIDE. BY THEN IT HAD PASSED THROUGH THE ALT CAPTURE POINT AND DID NOT INITIATE A LEVEL OFF. THE DEV WAS DUE TO THE PF'S LIMITED TIME IN THE ACFT AND FAMILIARIZATION WITH THIS MODEL AUTOPLT AND ITS ANNUNCIATION OF CAPTURED MODES. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY DISTR FROM THE FLASHING RECOGNITION LIGHT. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION I SPENT TIME EXPLAINING MORE THOROUGHLY THE OP OF THE AUTOPLT AND THE EFIS ANNUNCIATIONS WHEN A MODE HAS BEEN CAPTURED (OR NOT CAPTURED IN THIS INSTANCE).

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.