A320 flight crew overshot climb altitude.

Attributes
ACN	492710
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : c90.tracon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13300
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 584
ASRS Report	492710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter 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:

We were on assigned heading 270 degrees, climbing slowly to 13000 ft while accelerating. Typical sloppy A320 autoplt and throttles overshot speed then initiated rapid climb. With altitude showing on FMA, ATC said 'air carrier X (garbled) 270 contact center on XXX.xx.' first officer responded 'roger, cleared to FL270, center on XXX.xx' and immediately spun altitude window to FL270. I was PF. I thought FL270 altitude didn't sound right, and did not confirm the change. I requested he return window to 13000 ft and verify altitude with ATC. He did both immediately, but the damage had been done. Autoplt had reverted to rate climb at 2600 FPM. I had to disengaged the autoplt and manually nose over as rapidly as I thought safe with flight attendants up in the aft end of the aircraft. We only got to 13300 ft and no loss of separation took place that I know of. It took over 1 min and 3 or 4 tries to get an altitude verification from controller, 13000 ft. We had been told maintain 270 degree (heading?) this was a classic case of improper controller hearback with no correction to pilots. This was complicated by SOP's that allowed an autoflt system that is deliberately sloppy by design and quirky in operation to show some of its worst traits in rapid succession.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC OVERSHOT CLB ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS, CLBING SLOWLY TO 13000 FT WHILE ACCELERATING. TYPICAL SLOPPY A320 AUTOPLT AND THROTTLES OVERSHOT SPD THEN INITIATED RAPID CLB. WITH ALT SHOWING ON FMA, ATC SAID 'ACR X (GARBLED) 270 CONTACT CTR ON XXX.XX.' FO RESPONDED 'ROGER, CLRED TO FL270, CTR ON XXX.XX' AND IMMEDIATELY SPUN ALT WINDOW TO FL270. I WAS PF. I THOUGHT FL270 ALT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT, AND DID NOT CONFIRM THE CHANGE. I REQUESTED HE RETURN WINDOW TO 13000 FT AND VERIFY ALT WITH ATC. HE DID BOTH IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. AUTOPLT HAD REVERTED TO RATE CLB AT 2600 FPM. I HAD TO DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY NOSE OVER AS RAPIDLY AS I THOUGHT SAFE WITH FLT ATTENDANTS UP IN THE AFT END OF THE ACFT. WE ONLY GOT TO 13300 FT AND NO LOSS OF SEPARATION TOOK PLACE THAT I KNOW OF. IT TOOK OVER 1 MIN AND 3 OR 4 TRIES TO GET AN ALT VERIFICATION FROM CTLR, 13000 FT. WE HAD BEEN TOLD MAINTAIN 270 DEG (HDG?) THIS WAS A CLASSIC CASE OF IMPROPER CTLR HEARBACK WITH NO CORRECTION TO PLTS. THIS WAS COMPLICATED BY SOP'S THAT ALLOWED AN AUTOFLT SYS THAT IS DELIBERATELY SLOPPY BY DESIGN AND QUIRKY IN OP TO SHOW SOME OF ITS WORST TRAITS IN RAPID SUCCESSION.

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.