Air carrier flight crew experiences altitude overshoot in climb.

Attributes
ACN	463680
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 124 flight time total : 2840 flight time type : 1383
ASRS Report	463680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

At about 14000 ft in the climb, we were cleared to 16000 ft. I was head down writing up an MEL as we approached leveloff. Before reaching 16000 ft, center gave us 'pilot's discretion' to 7000 ft. The first officer (who was flying) put 7000 ft in the autoplt (a PNF duty). Not only were the roles wrong, but company procedures prohibit setting 'pilot's discretion' altitudes until actually going to them. Without an altitude to capture, the autoplt kept climbing past the assigned altitude of 16000 ft. I saw the deviation at 16300 ft and we topped out at 16400 ft. Bad on the first officer for not following SOP, but bad on the PNF captain (me) for poor monitoring, and for doing administrative tasks approaching a transition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC EXPERIENCES ALT OVERSHOOT IN CLB.

Narrative: AT ABOUT 14000 FT IN THE CLB, WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT. I WAS HEAD DOWN WRITING UP AN MEL AS WE APCHED LEVELOFF. BEFORE REACHING 16000 FT, CTR GAVE US 'PLT'S DISCRETION' TO 7000 FT. THE FO (WHO WAS FLYING) PUT 7000 FT IN THE AUTOPLT (A PNF DUTY). NOT ONLY WERE THE ROLES WRONG, BUT COMPANY PROCS PROHIBIT SETTING 'PLT'S DISCRETION' ALTS UNTIL ACTUALLY GOING TO THEM. WITHOUT AN ALT TO CAPTURE, THE AUTOPLT KEPT CLBING PAST THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 16000 FT. I SAW THE DEV AT 16300 FT AND WE TOPPED OUT AT 16400 FT. BAD ON THE FO FOR NOT FOLLOWING SOP, BUT BAD ON THE PNF CAPT (ME) FOR POOR MONITORING, AND FOR DOING ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS APCHING A TRANSITION.

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.