E145 crew at FL240 near ihd are issued a descent clearance. After programming and commanding the autoplt for the new altitude, the aircraft pitched up and climbed 500 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	569632
Time
Date	200212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ihd.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : dtw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	569632
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	569945
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter alt alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : automation overrode flight crew flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was being flown by the first officer with the autoplt on. ATC issued a descent clearance. The assigned altitude was entered and descent commands were programmed into the autoplt. The aircraft pitched up and climbed approximately 500 ft before the autoplt was disconnected and the ascent arrested. Supplemental information from acn 569945: we were cruising at FL240 when ATC gave us a descent. I programmed the autoplt for a descent and then became occupied with other tasks. ATC asked us to verify our altitude at which time we noticed the aircraft was in a climb at about FL246. We immediately corrected our altitude and started descending. ATC never mentioned it again and there was no conflicts to my knowledge. When I noticed that the aircraft was climbing I verified that the autoplt was programmed for a descent. I do not know why the autoplt started a climb. As the PF, I should have more closely monitored the autoplt and not been occupied with secondary tasks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 CREW AT FL240 NEAR IHD ARE ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. AFTER PROGRAMMING AND COMMANDING THE AUTOPLT FOR THE NEW ALT, THE ACFT PITCHED UP AND CLBED 500 FT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE FO WITH THE AUTOPLT ON. ATC ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS ENTERED AND DSCNT COMMANDS WERE PROGRAMMED INTO THE AUTOPLT. THE ACFT PITCHED UP AND CLBED APPROX 500 FT BEFORE THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE ASCENT ARRESTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 569945: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL240 WHEN ATC GAVE US A DSCNT. I PROGRAMMED THE AUTOPLT FOR A DSCNT AND THEN BECAME OCCUPIED WITH OTHER TASKS. ATC ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT AT WHICH TIME WE NOTICED THE ACFT WAS IN A CLB AT ABOUT FL246. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED OUR ALT AND STARTED DSNDING. ATC NEVER MENTIONED IT AGAIN AND THERE WAS NO CONFLICTS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS CLBING I VERIFIED THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS PROGRAMMED FOR A DSCNT. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE AUTOPLT STARTED A CLB. AS THE PF, I SHOULD HAVE MORE CLOSELY MONITORED THE AUTOPLT AND NOT BEEN OCCUPIED WITH SECONDARY TASKS.

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.