B727 flight crew upon leveling at cruise drifted off assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	493920
Time
Date	200012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : msp.vortac
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc tower : bna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	493920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to FL290. As we climbed, we both acknowledged our altitude 2000 ft and 1000 ft prior to FL290 per SOP. As the captain leveled off, he failed to properly engage the altitude hold feature of the autoplt. We then drifted upwards to an altitude of FL294. Backgnd: the captain had been off the line for about 1 month due to other duties. I don't think he was as 'current' with the aircraft as he would have liked. In retrospect, I should have noticed the failure to engage the autoplt properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC UPON LEVELING AT CRUISE DRIFTED OFF ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO FL290. AS WE CLBED, WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ALT 2000 FT AND 1000 FT PRIOR TO FL290 PER SOP. AS THE CAPT LEVELED OFF, HE FAILED TO PROPERLY ENGAGE THE ALT HOLD FEATURE OF THE AUTOPLT. WE THEN DRIFTED UPWARDS TO AN ALT OF FL294. BACKGND: THE CAPT HAD BEEN OFF THE LINE FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH DUE TO OTHER DUTIES. I DON'T THINK HE WAS AS 'CURRENT' WITH THE ACFT AS HE WOULD HAVE LIKED. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE FAILURE TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT PROPERLY.

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.