Narrative:

I was level at 2000 ft and got the clearance to climb to 9000 ft, I set the altitude (9000 ft) on the VNAV selector, press altitude select on the flight director mode control panel, and set the autoplt to climb, the controller called 2 traffics and we started to look for them, after we clear the traffic we realized that the first officer did not capture and we were at 9500 ft. I disconnected the autoplt and descended back to 9000 ft. Since the installation of a FMS the flight director and autoplt have been given a lot of failures. We took the aircraft several times to the shop that did the installation, but was not able to fix it. After all these problems I asked the shop manager if they have test bench equipment to check their work and he told me no. I recommend that if a shop gets the authority/authorized to do complicated work they must have the required equipment to do a safe work. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: captain blames the autoplt and flight director for not responding as it should for the leveloff. He stated that the aircraft was only climbing 2000 FPM and it usually performs the leveloff properly. The FMS is a new unit added to the flight deck, and this unit seems to be the cause of many of the automatic equipment poor performances. The captain speculates that this is the cause of the problems. The FMS is a new unit, and makes inputs to the flight director and autoplt. Captain wrote the FMS unit up and wants the maintenance shop to check the FMS, but the shop says they do not have any test equipment. Captain is upset that they are using equipment that can't check with any test equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE550 CITATION OVERSHOOTS HIS ALT ON DEP FROM RIC, VA. FLC SAY AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES ARE THE PROB.

Narrative: I WAS LEVEL AT 2000 FT AND GOT THE CLRNC TO CLB TO 9000 FT, I SET THE ALT (9000 FT) ON THE VNAV SELECTOR, PRESS ALT SELECT ON THE FLT DIRECTOR MODE CTL PANEL, AND SET THE AUTOPLT TO CLB, THE CTLR CALLED 2 TRAFFICS AND WE STARTED TO LOOK FOR THEM, AFTER WE CLR THE TFC WE REALIZED THAT THE FO DID NOT CAPTURE AND WE WERE AT 9500 FT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND DSNDED BACK TO 9000 FT. SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF A FMS THE FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOPLT HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF FAILURES. WE TOOK THE ACFT SEVERAL TIMES TO THE SHOP THAT DID THE INSTALLATION, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX IT. AFTER ALL THESE PROBS I ASKED THE SHOP MGR IF THEY HAVE TEST BENCH EQUIP TO CHK THEIR WORK AND HE TOLD ME NO. I RECOMMEND THAT IF A SHOP GETS THE AUTH TO DO COMPLICATED WORK THEY MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED EQUIP TO DO A SAFE WORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT BLAMES THE AUTOPLT AND FLT DIRECTOR FOR NOT RESPONDING AS IT SHOULD FOR THE LEVELOFF. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS ONLY CLBING 2000 FPM AND IT USUALLY PERFORMS THE LEVELOFF PROPERLY. THE FMS IS A NEW UNIT ADDED TO THE FLT DECK, AND THIS UNIT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF MANY OF THE AUTOMATIC EQUIP POOR PERFORMANCES. THE CAPT SPECULATES THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBS. THE FMS IS A NEW UNIT, AND MAKES INPUTS TO THE FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOPLT. CAPT WROTE THE FMS UNIT UP AND WANTS THE MAINT SHOP TO CHK THE FMS, BUT THE SHOP SAYS THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY TEST EQUIP. CAPT IS UPSET THAT THEY ARE USING EQUIP THAT CAN'T CHK WITH ANY TEST EQUIP.

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.