A B747 flight crew overshoots its assigned altitude during climb under control of ZNY, ny.

Attributes
ACN	451763
Time
Date	199910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc tower : geg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	451763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed ewr and were climbing to the assigned altitude of 17000 ft. ZNY advised us of VFR traffic at 16500 ft and reassigned us to climb to 16000 ft. I set 16000 ft in the altitude alerter and read this back to center. We leveled off at 16000 ft. I then reported the traffic in sight. Center once again assigned us 17000 ft. I read this back and set 17000 ft in the altitude alerter. The first officer resumed the climb. Center assigned us to another frequency. I was setting the new frequency in the radio when I heard the altitude alerter go off. I looked up to see us climbing through 17500 ft. I assisted the first officer in pushing the nose over and beginning the descent back to 17000 ft. We got to almost 17700 ft before the aircraft started back down. Leveling at 17000 ft, I completed the frequency change and contacted the next sector. We were then cleared to climb to FL280. There was no mention of an altitude excursion by either party. I think the first officer is competent and just made an honest mistake that I should have been able to prevent had I not been distraction by the frequency change. We have recently installed new communication radios with 6 digits. They are controled by 2 knobs, the larger, bottom knob controling the digits to the left of the decimal and the smaller, top knob controling the digits to the right of the decimal point. The digits to the right of the decimal do not always move in a linear fashion with the turning of the knob. If the knob is moved rapidly, the digit change is accelerated. When you have a requirement for a large change in these digits and a rapid twist of the knob is used, it is more likely than not that you will grossly over- or undershoot the target frequency. This usually requires at least 2 more turns of the knob to finally get the correct frequency selected. This requires way too much time with your head down, especially in the terminal area. I think there should be a switch to disable the thousands digits when it is not required. The small knob could be lifted to select the thousands digit mode or else use a keypad to enter the frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 FLC OVERSHOOTS ITS ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLB UNDER CTL OF ZNY, NY.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED EWR AND WERE CLBING TO THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 17000 FT. ZNY ADVISED US OF VFR TFC AT 16500 FT AND REASSIGNED US TO CLB TO 16000 FT. I SET 16000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND READ THIS BACK TO CTR. WE LEVELED OFF AT 16000 FT. I THEN RPTED THE TFC IN SIGHT. CTR ONCE AGAIN ASSIGNED US 17000 FT. I READ THIS BACK AND SET 17000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. THE FO RESUMED THE CLB. CTR ASSIGNED US TO ANOTHER FREQ. I WAS SETTING THE NEW FREQ IN THE RADIO WHEN I HEARD THE ALT ALERTER GO OFF. I LOOKED UP TO SEE US CLBING THROUGH 17500 FT. I ASSISTED THE FO IN PUSHING THE NOSE OVER AND BEGINNING THE DSCNT BACK TO 17000 FT. WE GOT TO ALMOST 17700 FT BEFORE THE ACFT STARTED BACK DOWN. LEVELING AT 17000 FT, I COMPLETED THE FREQ CHANGE AND CONTACTED THE NEXT SECTOR. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO CLB TO FL280. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF AN ALT EXCURSION BY EITHER PARTY. I THINK THE FO IS COMPETENT AND JUST MADE AN HONEST MISTAKE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PREVENT HAD I NOT BEEN DISTR BY THE FREQ CHANGE. WE HAVE RECENTLY INSTALLED NEW COM RADIOS WITH 6 DIGITS. THEY ARE CTLED BY 2 KNOBS, THE LARGER, BOTTOM KNOB CTLING THE DIGITS TO THE L OF THE DECIMAL AND THE SMALLER, TOP KNOB CTLING THE DIGITS TO THE R OF THE DECIMAL POINT. THE DIGITS TO THE R OF THE DECIMAL DO NOT ALWAYS MOVE IN A LINEAR FASHION WITH THE TURNING OF THE KNOB. IF THE KNOB IS MOVED RAPIDLY, THE DIGIT CHANGE IS ACCELERATED. WHEN YOU HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR A LARGE CHANGE IN THESE DIGITS AND A RAPID TWIST OF THE KNOB IS USED, IT IS MORE LIKELY THAN NOT THAT YOU WILL GROSSLY OVER- OR UNDERSHOOT THE TARGET FREQ. THIS USUALLY REQUIRES AT LEAST 2 MORE TURNS OF THE KNOB TO FINALLY GET THE CORRECT FREQ SELECTED. THIS REQUIRES WAY TOO MUCH TIME WITH YOUR HEAD DOWN, ESPECIALLY IN THE TERMINAL AREA. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SWITCH TO DISABLE THE THOUSANDS DIGITS WHEN IT IS NOT REQUIRED. THE SMALL KNOB COULD BE LIFTED TO SELECT THE THOUSANDS DIGIT MODE OR ELSE USE A KEYPAD TO ENTER THE FREQ.

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.