Flight crew of a light MD11 on a trans bay positioning flight climb above the 2000 ft assigned by oak departure controller. First officer was surprised at the aircraft's performance.

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Attributes
ACN	400730
Time
Date	199804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2350
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	400730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On takeoff from oak en route to sfo, first officer was hand-flying departure. We were cleared to turn left heading 120 degrees and maintain 2000 ft. I announced 'leaving 1000 ft for 2000 ft' and ensured first officer started to level off. While switching frequency from oak tower to departure control first officer overshot 2000 ft by about 350 ft and returned to 2000 ft. I believe the problem occurred due to first officer underestimating the climb rate of the lightly loaded aircraft and the failure of myself and the first officer to aggressively correct the aircraft's trajectory. I also think that fatigue due to 'backside of the clock' flying was also a factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A LIGHT MD11 ON A TRANS BAY POSITIONING FLT CLB ABOVE THE 2000 FT ASSIGNED BY OAK DEP CTLR. FO WAS SURPRISED AT THE ACFT'S PERFORMANCE.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM OAK ENRTE TO SFO, FO WAS HAND-FLYING DEP. WE WERE CLRED TO TURN L HDG 120 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. I ANNOUNCED 'LEAVING 1000 FT FOR 2000 FT' AND ENSURED FO STARTED TO LEVEL OFF. WHILE SWITCHING FREQ FROM OAK TWR TO DEP CTL FO OVERSHOT 2000 FT BY ABOUT 350 FT AND RETURNED TO 2000 FT. I BELIEVE THE PROB OCCURRED DUE TO FO UNDERESTIMATING THE CLB RATE OF THE LIGHTLY LOADED ACFT AND THE FAILURE OF MYSELF AND THE FO TO AGGRESSIVELY CORRECT THE ACFT'S TRAJECTORY. I ALSO THINK THAT FATIGUE DUE TO 'BACKSIDE OF THE CLOCK' FLYING WAS ALSO A FACTOR.

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.