A B727 flight crew inadvertently overshoot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	526550
Time
Date	200110
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bce.vortac
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 377 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	526550
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft does not have any 'automatic altitude capture' when on autoplt (non standard with fleet). We made our normal altitude callouts approaching FL290 (2000 ft, 1000 ft before). Just before FL290 our attention must have been diverted from the altimeter (captain and first officer). At FL290 +300 ft we were warned by our altitude alerter. We corrected to descend quickly as possible to FL290. ZLA called at that time to verify altitude. At FL290 +300 ft we had to break the climb by pitching over (without 'floating' passenger). Our maximum altitude deviation was FL290 +500 ft. Time between warning and getting back to FL290 was approximately 15 seconds. TCASII RA or TA did not sound.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY OVERSHOOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ACFT DOES NOT HAVE ANY 'AUTOMATIC ALT CAPTURE' WHEN ON AUTOPLT (NON STANDARD WITH FLEET). WE MADE OUR NORMAL ALT CALLOUTS APCHING FL290 (2000 FT, 1000 FT BEFORE). JUST BEFORE FL290 OUR ATTN MUST HAVE BEEN DIVERTED FROM THE ALTIMETER (CAPT AND FO). AT FL290 +300 FT WE WERE WARNED BY OUR ALT ALERTER. WE CORRECTED TO DSND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO FL290. ZLA CALLED AT THAT TIME TO VERIFY ALT. AT FL290 +300 FT WE HAD TO BREAK THE CLB BY PITCHING OVER (WITHOUT 'FLOATING' PAX). OUR MAX ALTDEV WAS FL290 +500 FT. TIME BTWN WARNING AND GETTING BACK TO FL290 WAS APPROX 15 SECONDS. TCASII RA OR TA DID NOT SOUND.

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.