Aircraft failed to level at assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	431960
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dxo.vor
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	431960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned airspace flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During climb to FL250, after several intermediate leveloffs, the autoplt did not capture an assigned leveloff at FL250. The first officer and I noticed it when 200 ft high, but due to passenger safety, could not aggressively push the aircraft down to FL250. We were momentarily 300-400 ft high and quickly leveled again at FL250. We had some crossing traffic above us and by the time the controller called us, we were already established at FL250 again. There was never any conflict or evasive action required. We should have noticed the overshoot sooner. After several leveloffs in 1000 ft increments, we were lulled into trusting the autoplt too much and at the moment of 'altitude acquire' and 'hold' we were not looking at the altimeter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FAILED TO LEVEL AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING CLB TO FL250, AFTER SEVERAL INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFFS, THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CAPTURE AN ASSIGNED LEVELOFF AT FL250. THE FO AND I NOTICED IT WHEN 200 FT HIGH, BUT DUE TO PAX SAFETY, COULD NOT AGGRESSIVELY PUSH THE ACFT DOWN TO FL250. WE WERE MOMENTARILY 300-400 FT HIGH AND QUICKLY LEVELED AGAIN AT FL250. WE HAD SOME XING TFC ABOVE US AND BY THE TIME THE CTLR CALLED US, WE WERE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AT FL250 AGAIN. THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONFLICT OR EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED. WE SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE OVERSHOOT SOONER. AFTER SEVERAL LEVELOFFS IN 1000 FT INCREMENTS, WE WERE LULLED INTO TRUSTING THE AUTOPLT TOO MUCH AND AT THE MOMENT OF 'ALT ACQUIRE' AND 'HOLD' WE WERE NOT LOOKING AT THE ALTIMETER.

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.