Narrative:

We were cleared by ZOA FL350. I do not remember who set the altitude window on the flight control panel. I think I did, but the captain (the PF) is somewhat nonstandard and would often set altitudes when he was flying, even though this is not SOP. Passing FL200 the captain got out of his seat to go to the bathroom. I busied myself entering the winds into the FMS. The FMS program was different than most, for this type of aircraft, so it took me a bit longer than usual. ZOA called and informed me that there would be a 10 min delay for FL370, our cruise altitude. I checked altitude passing FL340 and noted altitude capture was not indicated on the FMA. As the aircraft approached FL350 I looked around the cockpit for the reason the aircraft was not leveling. I then noticed the altitude window on flight control panel read FL380. I quickly set FL350. The aircraft did not level off due to flight director logic and continued to climb to FL370, the altitude in the FMS as the cruise altitude. I selected level change on the flight director mode selector. The aircraft finally leveled off at FL350, but did climb to FL357. ZOA asked the altitude. I told ZOA FL350. ZOA stated 'I show you at FL357.' I said 'we would check on it.' I did not turn off the autoplt because I wanted to make a smooth leveloff. I did not think it would take the aircraft 1000-700 ft to level off and then start a descent in the level change mode. I am not sure how FL380 got in the altitude window. The captain is 2 months from retirement. I think he could have turned the altitude knob instead of the heading knob then reset it to FL380 while I was not looking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CLBED PAST FL350 TO FL357.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY ZOA FL350. I DO NOT REMEMBER WHO SET THE ALT WINDOW ON THE FLT CTL PANEL. I THINK I DID, BUT THE CAPT (THE PF) IS SOMEWHAT NONSTANDARD AND WOULD OFTEN SET ALTS WHEN HE WAS FLYING, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT SOP. PASSING FL200 THE CAPT GOT OUT OF HIS SEAT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. I BUSIED MYSELF ENTERING THE WINDS INTO THE FMS. THE FMS PROGRAM WAS DIFFERENT THAN MOST, FOR THIS TYPE OF ACFT, SO IT TOOK ME A BIT LONGER THAN USUAL. ZOA CALLED AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE WOULD BE A 10 MIN DELAY FOR FL370, OUR CRUISE ALT. I CHKED ALT PASSING FL340 AND NOTED ALT CAPTURE WAS NOT INDICATED ON THE FMA. AS THE ACFT APCHED FL350 I LOOKED AROUND THE COCKPIT FOR THE REASON THE ACFT WAS NOT LEVELING. I THEN NOTICED THE ALT WINDOW ON FLT CTL PANEL READ FL380. I QUICKLY SET FL350. THE ACFT DID NOT LEVEL OFF DUE TO FLT DIRECTOR LOGIC AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO FL370, THE ALT IN THE FMS AS THE CRUISE ALT. I SELECTED LEVEL CHANGE ON THE FLT DIRECTOR MODE SELECTOR. THE ACFT FINALLY LEVELED OFF AT FL350, BUT DID CLB TO FL357. ZOA ASKED THE ALT. I TOLD ZOA FL350. ZOA STATED 'I SHOW YOU AT FL357.' I SAID 'WE WOULD CHK ON IT.' I DID NOT TURN OFF THE AUTOPLT BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE A SMOOTH LEVELOFF. I DID NOT THINK IT WOULD TAKE THE ACFT 1000-700 FT TO LEVEL OFF AND THEN START A DSCNT IN THE LEVEL CHANGE MODE. I AM NOT SURE HOW FL380 GOT IN THE ALT WINDOW. THE CAPT IS 2 MONTHS FROM RETIREMENT. I THINK HE COULD HAVE TURNED THE ALT KNOB INSTEAD OF THE HDG KNOB THEN RESET IT TO FL380 WHILE I WAS NOT LOOKING.

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.