A320 crew was told by ATC to level at FL330 when they were passing FL340 for FL350 with a high climb...

Attributes
ACN	529855
Time
Date	200111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10700 flight time type : 3400
ASRS Report	529855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Captain was relatively new to aircraft type. As first officer, I had over 5 yrs and 3300 hours more time in type than he did. 4TH day of 4 day trip and he was handling aircraft extremely well. We were climbing out of atl. ATC cleared us to FL350. As we climbed past approximately FL280-FL290, we encountered turbulence. Captain elected to expedite the climb. In the airbus this feature allows the aircraft to climb at best left/D speed. This feature also recalibrates when the aircraft will begin leveling off. As we passed FL340, very fast, ATC asked us to level off at FL330. Instead of letting the aircraft stop the climb at FL350 then descend, the captain activated the 'zero vertical rate' button. This once again forced the aircraft to recalibrate its leveloff. The airbus on autoplt will try to maintain zero G's in any maneuver. Because of this, the aircraft leveled off at FL353. As we started descent back down to FL330, ATC requested we stay at FL350. I reminded the captain about the expedite feature, and the zero vertical speed feature and how altitude leveloff are recalibrated. I am only the copilot, however, as the 'more experienced' airbus pilot, I should have been more aggressive and suggested not using the zero vertical speed button to stop an expedite climb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW WAS TOLD BY ATC TO LEVEL AT FL330 WHEN THEY WERE PASSING FL340 FOR FL350 WITH A HIGH CLB RATE.

Narrative: CAPT WAS RELATIVELY NEW TO ACFT TYPE. AS FO, I HAD OVER 5 YRS AND 3300 HRS MORE TIME IN TYPE THAN HE DID. 4TH DAY OF 4 DAY TRIP AND HE WAS HANDLING ACFT EXTREMELY WELL. WE WERE CLBING OUT OF ATL. ATC CLRED US TO FL350. AS WE CLBED PAST APPROX FL280-FL290, WE ENCOUNTERED TURB. CAPT ELECTED TO EXPEDITE THE CLB. IN THE AIRBUS THIS FEATURE ALLOWS THE ACFT TO CLB AT BEST L/D SPD. THIS FEATURE ALSO RECALIBRATES WHEN THE ACFT WILL BEGIN LEVELING OFF. AS WE PASSED FL340, VERY FAST, ATC ASKED US TO LEVEL OFF AT FL330. INSTEAD OF LETTING THE ACFT STOP THE CLB AT FL350 THEN DSND, THE CAPT ACTIVATED THE 'ZERO VERT RATE' BUTTON. THIS ONCE AGAIN FORCED THE ACFT TO RECALIBRATE ITS LEVELOFF. THE AIRBUS ON AUTOPLT WILL TRY TO MAINTAIN ZERO G'S IN ANY MANEUVER. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE ACFT LEVELED OFF AT FL353. AS WE STARTED DSCNT BACK DOWN TO FL330, ATC REQUESTED WE STAY AT FL350. I REMINDED THE CAPT ABOUT THE EXPEDITE FEATURE, AND THE ZERO VERT SPD FEATURE AND HOW ALT LEVELOFF ARE RECALIBRATED. I AM ONLY THE COPLT, HOWEVER, AS THE 'MORE EXPERIENCED' AIRBUS PLT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE AND SUGGESTED NOT USING THE ZERO VERT SPD BUTTON TO STOP AN EXPEDITE CLB.

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.

A320 crew was told by ATC to level at FL330 when they were passing FL340 for FL350 with a high climb rate.