A B737 flight crew failed to stop climb at assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	432800
Time
Date	199904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : slc.vor
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
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 : 28 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	432800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	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:

I was the captain and PNF. During climb out, the first officer (who was hand flying) overshot the assigned altitude of 11000 ft by 700 ft before returning to assigned altitude. Several distrs contributed to this. Our company mandated passing '10000 ft' call overrode the '1000 ft to go' call. We were assigned 250 KTS. My first officer thought the speed restr had been lifted. I didn't. Since he had lowered the nose to accelerate, he now raised it (to slow to 25O KTS) and went through assigned altitude. I got diverted talking to ATC to see if ZLC still wanted 25O KTS. By the time we got things sorted out we had overshot cruise altitude. I immediately advised controller we were returning to assigned altitude. ATC seemed unconcerned. No traffic conflict resulted. To prevent recurrence: if autoplt with altitude capture is available, use it. Don't get sidetracked, fly the aircraft. Altitude should have been our first consideration, not assigned speed. No one gets too concerned with airspeed infractions, everyone gets concerned with altdevs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLC FAILED TO STOP CLB AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT AND PNF. DURING CLBOUT, THE FO (WHO WAS HAND FLYING) OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT BY 700 FT BEFORE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT. SEVERAL DISTRS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. OUR COMPANY MANDATED PASSING '10000 FT' CALL OVERRODE THE '1000 FT TO GO' CALL. WE WERE ASSIGNED 250 KTS. MY FO THOUGHT THE SPD RESTR HAD BEEN LIFTED. I DIDN'T. SINCE HE HAD LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE, HE NOW RAISED IT (TO SLOW TO 25O KTS) AND WENT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT. I GOT DIVERTED TALKING TO ATC TO SEE IF ZLC STILL WANTED 25O KTS. BY THE TIME WE GOT THINGS SORTED OUT WE HAD OVERSHOT CRUISE ALT. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED CTLR WE WERE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT. ATC SEEMED UNCONCERNED. NO TFC CONFLICT RESULTED. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: IF AUTOPLT WITH ALT CAPTURE IS AVAILABLE, USE IT. DON'T GET SIDETRACKED, FLY THE ACFT. ALT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION, NOT ASSIGNED SPD. NO ONE GETS TOO CONCERNED WITH AIRSPD INFRACTIONS, EVERYONE GETS CONCERNED WITH ALTDEVS.

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.