DC9 crew had altitude overshot in N90 class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	482320
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : blv.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	482320
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	482252
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out from jfk cleared to 17000 ft being vectored to neion (lga 322 degree radial, 42 DME). I called 2000 ft to go, then 1000 ft to go. The autoplt started making jerky movements with the elevator. I looked down to check the tab indicators. At about that time the altitude alerter went off. I looked up and the altimeter said 17700 ft. I directed the first officer to get back to 17000 ft and I checked the TCASII. There were no aircraft painting on the TCASII. The controller said he needed us at 17000 ft and asked us what our altitude was. At that time we were passing back through 17300 ft. So I said we were at 17300 ft and correcting, then apologized to the controller. Nothing else was said about the incident. Supplemental information from acn 482252: departed jfk to dtw. We were cleared up to 17000 ft and at approximately 15000 ft I engaged the autoplt. Shortly after engagement, the autoplt became erratic and both the captain and I made the gesture to disengage it. I continued to hand fly and regain control to stabilize the aircraft. ATC then issued a vector to intercept a radial outbound which the captain was reading back and jotting down. As I attempted to tune in the VOR and set the radial, I accidentally overshot the altitude of 17000 ft by approximately 500 ft. I immediately made the attempt and returned to 17000 ft. ATC advised that our cleared altitude was 17000 ft and we acknowledged.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOT IN N90 CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLBING OUT FROM JFK CLRED TO 17000 FT BEING VECTORED TO NEION (LGA 322 DEG RADIAL, 42 DME). I CALLED 2000 FT TO GO, THEN 1000 FT TO GO. THE AUTOPLT STARTED MAKING JERKY MOVEMENTS WITH THE ELEVATOR. I LOOKED DOWN TO CHK THE TAB INDICATORS. AT ABOUT THAT TIME THE ALT ALERTER WENT OFF. I LOOKED UP AND THE ALTIMETER SAID 17700 FT. I DIRECTED THE FO TO GET BACK TO 17000 FT AND I CHKED THE TCASII. THERE WERE NO ACFT PAINTING ON THE TCASII. THE CTLR SAID HE NEEDED US AT 17000 FT AND ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. AT THAT TIME WE WERE PASSING BACK THROUGH 17300 FT. SO I SAID WE WERE AT 17300 FT AND CORRECTING, THEN APOLOGIZED TO THE CTLR. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID ABOUT THE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 482252: DEPARTED JFK TO DTW. WE WERE CLRED UP TO 17000 FT AND AT APPROX 15000 FT I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. SHORTLY AFTER ENGAGEMENT, THE AUTOPLT BECAME ERRATIC AND BOTH THE CAPT AND I MADE THE GESTURE TO DISENGAGE IT. I CONTINUED TO HAND FLY AND REGAIN CTL TO STABILIZE THE ACFT. ATC THEN ISSUED A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL OUTBOUND WHICH THE CAPT WAS READING BACK AND JOTTING DOWN. AS I ATTEMPTED TO TUNE IN THE VOR AND SET THE RADIAL, I ACCIDENTALLY OVERSHOT THE ALT OF 17000 FT BY APPROX 500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY MADE THE ATTEMPT AND RETURNED TO 17000 FT. ATC ADVISED THAT OUR CLRED ALT WAS 17000 FT AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED.

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.