B757-200 altitude deviation while distraction with heading selector on initial climb from ewr.

Attributes
ACN	458170
Time
Date	199912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2850
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : newark 6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 245 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	458170
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 altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying, we departed ewr on runway 4L on ewr 6 SID which calls for right turn to 060 degrees, followed by left to 290 degrees at ieza localizer 4 DME. Cleared to 2500 ft. On takeoff leg, we noticed aircraft in front of us (2.5 mi on TCASII) turning left in front of us. While watching that aircraft, I selected heading to 290 degrees at 2.3 DME (the turn point when using this SID off of runways 22). First officer realized we weren't at 4 DME yet and verbalized correction, and I reset heading to 060 degrees. Concurrent with this, we passed assigned altitude of 2500 ft. Both of us realized we were missing the leveloff and verbalized '2500 ft, leveloff,' and I eased forward on the controls. First officer resumed leveloff at 2500 ft after excursion reached 2840 ft. As we leveled, controller called 'turn left 290 degrees, maintain 2500 ft.' no conflicts or TCASII alerts resulted, but improper leveloff was induced by attention diverted by traffic and improper heading bug selector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 ALTDEV WHILE DISTR WITH HDG SELECTOR ON INITIAL CLB FROM EWR.

Narrative: FO FLYING, WE DEPARTED EWR ON RWY 4L ON EWR 6 SID WHICH CALLS FOR R TURN TO 060 DEGS, FOLLOWED BY L TO 290 DEGS AT IEZA LOC 4 DME. CLRED TO 2500 FT. ON TKOF LEG, WE NOTICED ACFT IN FRONT OF US (2.5 MI ON TCASII) TURNING L IN FRONT OF US. WHILE WATCHING THAT ACFT, I SELECTED HDG TO 290 DEGS AT 2.3 DME (THE TURN POINT WHEN USING THIS SID OFF OF RWYS 22). FO REALIZED WE WEREN'T AT 4 DME YET AND VERBALIZED CORRECTION, AND I RESET HDG TO 060 DEGS. CONCURRENT WITH THIS, WE PASSED ASSIGNED ALT OF 2500 FT. BOTH OF US REALIZED WE WERE MISSING THE LEVELOFF AND VERBALIZED '2500 FT, LEVELOFF,' AND I EASED FORWARD ON THE CTLS. FO RESUMED LEVELOFF AT 2500 FT AFTER EXCURSION REACHED 2840 FT. AS WE LEVELED, CTLR CALLED 'TURN L 290 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2500 FT.' NO CONFLICTS OR TCASII ALERTS RESULTED, BUT IMPROPER LEVELOFF WAS INDUCED BY ATTN DIVERTED BY TFC AND IMPROPER HDG BUG SELECTOR.

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.