First officer of a B737-200 overshot assigned altitude during climb caused by a last min leveloff requested by ATC causing insufficient time for the autoplt to capture the altitude after a late resetting of the autoplt MCP.

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Attributes
ACN	418053
Time
Date	199810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iiu airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20260
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zin
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	418053
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	418050
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
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out on the departure we were assigned FL230. Approaching iiu other aircraft reported moderate turbulence near iiu. The aircraft was climbing at 310 KIAS at the time so I dialed in 280 KIAS in the MCP (in accordance with flight manual turbulence airspeed procedures). The aircraft at this time was passing FL190. This increased the rate of climb to approximately 2000 FPM as the autoplt traded airspeed for altitude. At FL195 ATC issued an amended clearance to FL200. This was dialed into the MCP of the autoplt. Due to the high rate of climb the autoplt failed to capture FL200 and I manually attempted to get the aircraft to level off. This resulted in an overshoot of the altitude by 260 ft. Also, a TA was issued by the TCASII due to an aircraft above and ahead. (Possibly the reason for the altitude restr.) we returned immediately to FL200. We were experiencing turbulence and that combined with the late altitude restr resulted in the deviation in altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B737-200 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLB CAUSED BY A LAST MIN LEVELOFF REQUESTED BY ATC CAUSING INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE AUTOPLT TO CAPTURE THE ALT AFTER A LATE RESETTING OF THE AUTOPLT MCP.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT ON THE DEP WE WERE ASSIGNED FL230. APCHING IIU OTHER ACFT RPTED MODERATE TURB NEAR IIU. THE ACFT WAS CLBING AT 310 KIAS AT THE TIME SO I DIALED IN 280 KIAS IN THE MCP (IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLT MANUAL TURB AIRSPD PROCS). THE ACFT AT THIS TIME WAS PASSING FL190. THIS INCREASED THE RATE OF CLB TO APPROX 2000 FPM AS THE AUTOPLT TRADED AIRSPD FOR ALT. AT FL195 ATC ISSUED AN AMENDED CLRNC TO FL200. THIS WAS DIALED INTO THE MCP OF THE AUTOPLT. DUE TO THE HIGH RATE OF CLB THE AUTOPLT FAILED TO CAPTURE FL200 AND I MANUALLY ATTEMPTED TO GET THE ACFT TO LEVEL OFF. THIS RESULTED IN AN OVERSHOOT OF THE ALT BY 260 FT. ALSO, A TA WAS ISSUED BY THE TCASII DUE TO AN ACFT ABOVE AND AHEAD. (POSSIBLY THE REASON FOR THE ALT RESTR.) WE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO FL200. WE WERE EXPERIENCING TURB AND THAT COMBINED WITH THE LATE ALT RESTR RESULTED IN THE DEV IN ALT.

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.