First officer of a cessna 550 allowed the aircraft to climb 600 ft above assigned altitude due to the aircraft's autoflt control unit became overridden when the captain went to the rear of the aircraft during flight.

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Attributes
ACN	477850
Time
Date	200007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gld.vortac
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 14200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	477850
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in level flight at 35000 ft, I left my station to walk to the rear of the aircraft for a brief moment. With the autoplt on, the copilot was at his station with the oxygen mask on. The altitude hold disengaged and the aircraft suddenly entered a steep climb gaining 500 ft immediately. The copilot pushed the nose down as quickly as possible trying not to cause any stress or negative G's to be placed on the aircraft. We were informed by ZDV that the deviation was 600 ft and another aircraft was near. No injuries or damages were sustained. We feel the trim system is out of tolerance and will have it checked by the appropriate means to correct this situation so it does not happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A CESSNA 550 ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB 600 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO THE ACFT'S AUTOFLT CTL UNIT BECAME OVERRIDDEN WHEN THE CAPT WENT TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT DURING FLT.

Narrative: WHILE IN LEVEL FLT AT 35000 FT, I LEFT MY STATION TO WALK TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, THE COPLT WAS AT HIS STATION WITH THE OXYGEN MASK ON. THE ALT HOLD DISENGAGED AND THE ACFT SUDDENLY ENTERED A STEEP CLB GAINING 500 FT IMMEDIATELY. THE COPLT PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TRYING NOT TO CAUSE ANY STRESS OR NEGATIVE G'S TO BE PLACED ON THE ACFT. WE WERE INFORMED BY ZDV THAT THE DEV WAS 600 FT AND ANOTHER ACFT WAS NEAR. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGES WERE SUSTAINED. WE FEEL THE TRIM SYS IS OUT OF TOLERANCE AND WILL HAVE IT CHKED BY THE APPROPRIATE MEANS TO CORRECT THIS SIT SO IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.