A319 crew had aircraft pitch up when engaging the autoplt.

Attributes
ACN	470581
Time
Date	200004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 01 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	470581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	470291
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to original clearance other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Established on localizer runway 01 into dca. At approximately 18 miles out we were cleared for the approach and selected 'approach' on FCU. Autoplt aggressively pitched up and began rapid climb, autoplt disconnected while throttles advanced. Manually controled aircraft and descended back down to 4000 ft to our assigned altitude. Intercepted GS and reestablished autoplt. Again, autoplt pitched up performing the same error. Autoplt was left off and approach flown manually without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW HAD ACFT PITCH UP WHEN ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT.

Narrative: ESTABLISHED ON LOC RWY 01 INTO DCA. AT APPROX 18 MILES OUT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND SELECTED 'APCH' ON FCU. AUTOPLT AGGRESSIVELY PITCHED UP AND BEGAN RAPID CLB, AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED WHILE THROTTLES ADVANCED. MANUALLY CTLED ACFT AND DESCENDED BACK DOWN TO 4000 FT TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. INTERCEPTED GS AND REESTABLISHED AUTOPLT. AGAIN, AUTOPLT PITCHED UP PERFORMING THE SAME ERROR. AUTOPLT WAS L OFF AND APCH FLOWN MANUALLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.