Narrative:

Departing ewr, destination bos. Second leg of 3 leg pairing. First officer as PF for this leg. This is a busy departure on any day. With cow initial leveloff (2500 ft) and multiple low altitude turns as published, further aggravated by controller vectors 1/2 way through the second turn to the third (on course) heading in 5 mi or less. That said, we do it every day. This was my first pairing with this first officer and his first flying leg. A300 requires non profile takeoff if initial altitude is below 3000 ft agc, due to slow response from autoplt in profile mode. In non profile mode, autoplt captured at 2500 ft and began pitch over/power reduction as controller issued right turn toward merit and new altitude of 5000 ft. First officer selected heading, altitude and profile (incorrectly) and autoplt pitched to climb attitude aggravated by power coming up to climb setting, producing 6000 FPM climb rate from 2500 ft to 5000 ft. As PNF, I told him profile would not work and to manually reduce power. He did not, so I took aircraft, reduced power to idle, disconnected autoplt and pitched to -5 degrees nose down. This action arrested the climb at 5300 ft MSL. I then returned to 5000 ft, stabilized the aircraft and returned to autoplt operation. Ewr departure reissued 5000 ft, restated altimeter setting, and handed us off. Nothing more was said, but it was clear that the leveloff was noticed by them. This first officer flew balance of leg to bos and then bos-mem so I could watch his operations further. It is the first time in 13 yrs as this operator I have felt that first officer proficiency (lack) was a factor in a sub-optimal operation. This will be handled internally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW HAD AN ALT OVERSHOOT ON A SID AT EWR.

Narrative: DEPARTING EWR, DEST BOS. SECOND LEG OF 3 LEG PAIRING. FO AS PF FOR THIS LEG. THIS IS A BUSY DEP ON ANY DAY. WITH COW INITIAL LEVELOFF (2500 FT) AND MULTIPLE LOW ALT TURNS AS PUBLISHED, FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY CTLR VECTORS 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE SECOND TURN TO THE THIRD (ON COURSE) HDG IN 5 MI OR LESS. THAT SAID, WE DO IT EVERY DAY. THIS WAS MY FIRST PAIRING WITH THIS FO AND HIS FIRST FLYING LEG. A300 REQUIRES NON PROFILE TKOF IF INITIAL ALT IS BELOW 3000 FT AGC, DUE TO SLOW RESPONSE FROM AUTOPLT IN PROFILE MODE. IN NON PROFILE MODE, AUTOPLT CAPTURED AT 2500 FT AND BEGAN PITCH OVER/PWR REDUCTION AS CTLR ISSUED R TURN TOWARD MERIT AND NEW ALT OF 5000 FT. FO SELECTED HDG, ALT AND PROFILE (INCORRECTLY) AND AUTOPLT PITCHED TO CLB ATTITUDE AGGRAVATED BY PWR COMING UP TO CLB SETTING, PRODUCING 6000 FPM CLB RATE FROM 2500 FT TO 5000 FT. AS PNF, I TOLD HIM PROFILE WOULD NOT WORK AND TO MANUALLY REDUCE PWR. HE DID NOT, SO I TOOK ACFT, REDUCED PWR TO IDLE, DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND PITCHED TO -5 DEGS NOSE DOWN. THIS ACTION ARRESTED THE CLB AT 5300 FT MSL. I THEN RETURNED TO 5000 FT, STABILIZED THE ACFT AND RETURNED TO AUTOPLT OP. EWR DEP REISSUED 5000 FT, RESTATED ALTIMETER SETTING, AND HANDED US OFF. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID, BUT IT WAS CLR THAT THE LEVELOFF WAS NOTICED BY THEM. THIS FO FLEW BAL OF LEG TO BOS AND THEN BOS-MEM SO I COULD WATCH HIS OPS FURTHER. IT IS THE FIRST TIME IN 13 YRS AS THIS OPERATOR I HAVE FELT THAT FO PROFICIENCY (LACK) WAS A FACTOR IN A SUB-OPTIMAL OP. THIS WILL BE HANDLED INTERNALLY.

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.