Narrative:

Our clearance was DALL9 txk to 10000 ft. While on a 90 degree vector we were instructed to turn to 110 degrees and intercept the 078 degree radial due to WX. The autoplt was not engaged. PF turned the aircraft to 110 degrees as we approached 10000 ft. PF dialed up dfw 078 degree radial on raw data. PNF tuned the radar to look for WX and changed the departure on the FMC. The controller told us to maintain 10000 ft due to arrival traffic at 11000 ft. We were passing 10200 ft at that time. We leveled at 10400 ft and returned to 10000 ft quickly. After discussing the situation we decided it would be better to engage the autoplt sooner in a hectic environment, to allow for less workload. Also, raw data works very well. The FMC is not as important at that point as flying the aircraft and situational awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FK10 FLC FAILED TO LEVEL AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING THE DEP CLB. THE CTLR INTERVENED. POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC WAS DALL9 TXK TO 10000 FT. WHILE ON A 90 DEG VECTOR WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO 110 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE 078 DEG RADIAL DUE TO WX. THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED. PF TURNED THE ACFT TO 110 DEGS AS WE APCHED 10000 FT. PF DIALED UP DFW 078 DEG RADIAL ON RAW DATA. PNF TUNED THE RADAR TO LOOK FOR WX AND CHANGED THE DEP ON THE FMC. THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT DUE TO ARR TFC AT 11000 FT. WE WERE PASSING 10200 FT AT THAT TIME. WE LEVELED AT 10400 FT AND RETURNED TO 10000 FT QUICKLY. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SIT WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE BETTER TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT SOONER IN A HECTIC ENVIRONMENT, TO ALLOW FOR LESS WORKLOAD. ALSO, RAW DATA WORKS VERY WELL. THE FMC IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AT THAT POINT AS FLYING THE ACFT AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

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.