An air carrier flight crew flying MD80 near mkc fails to maintain altitude as assigned by ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	450515
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc.artcc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc tower : mia.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	450515
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Student captain was flying aircraft from left seat. Autoplt conducted an unscheduled climb 300 ft above flight level assigned. This occurred while a hydraulic quantity problem was being addressed. Autoplt was written up. The problem was in the autoplt but was detected early enough to resolve. No conflict existed and altitude was corrected immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING MD80 NEAR MKC FAILS TO MAINTAIN ALT AS ASSIGNED BY ARTCC.

Narrative: STUDENT CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT FROM L SEAT. AUTOPLT CONDUCTED AN UNSCHEDULED CLB 300 FT ABOVE FLT LEVEL ASSIGNED. THIS OCCURRED WHILE A HYD QUANTITY PROB WAS BEING ADDRESSED. AUTOPLT WAS WRITTEN UP. THE PROB WAS IN THE AUTOPLT BUT WAS DETECTED EARLY ENOUGH TO RESOLVE. NO CONFLICT EXISTED AND ALT WAS CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY.

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.