Narrative:

Talking to center; we were issued a climb to FL210. Autoplt was engaged on #1; profile was selected; and FL210 was in the altitude select. First officer called aircraft was getting ready to bust FL210 approximately 100 ft prior. Captain disconnected autoplt to manually level at FL210. Aircraft climbed to 21350 ft before climb was stopped. First officer immediately notified center of deviation. Center said there was no conflict with any other aircraft and issued a climb to FL230. This is the 3RD time in 2 months that various A300/A310 aircraft have done this to me; once in a climb and twice in a descent. Im sure this is happening with several other air crews. There seems to be something wrong with the A300/A310 aircraft when climbing or descending in the profile mode. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this event is his third in two months. The altitude constraint in all cases was set in both the mode control panel altitude set window and in the FMC. The frequency of this type event has increased in the A300 fleet to the point that his air carrier is now teaching a recovery technique for when an altitude overshoot is imminent/occurs. The guidance is a 10% rule so that 300 ft from the constrained altitude the roc/rod should be less than 3000 FPM; and at 100 ft the roc/rod less than 1000 FPM. If not; disconnect the autoplt and level manually. The reporter stated that when the capture failure occurred on his flight; the FMA indicated an airspeed capture but did not indicate an altitude capture. The reporter also stated that this is apparently a trend in the A300 fleet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 ON A CLB PROFILE DID NOT LEVEL AT THE FMC AND ALT ALERT SET ALT.

Narrative: TALKING TO CTR; WE WERE ISSUED A CLB TO FL210. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED ON #1; PROFILE WAS SELECTED; AND FL210 WAS IN THE ALT SELECT. FO CALLED ACFT WAS GETTING READY TO BUST FL210 APPROX 100 FT PRIOR. CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT TO MANUALLY LEVEL AT FL210. ACFT CLBED TO 21350 FT BEFORE CLB WAS STOPPED. FO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED CTR OF DEVIATION. CTR SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AND ISSUED A CLB TO FL230. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN 2 MONTHS THAT VARIOUS A300/A310 ACFT HAVE DONE THIS TO ME; ONCE IN A CLB AND TWICE IN A DSCNT. IM SURE THIS IS HAPPENING WITH SEVERAL OTHER AIR CREWS. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE A300/A310 ACFT WHEN CLBING OR DSNDING IN THE PROFILE MODE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS EVENT IS HIS THIRD IN TWO MONTHS. THE ALT CONSTRAINT IN ALL CASES WAS SET IN BOTH THE MODE CTL PANEL ALT SET WINDOW AND IN THE FMC. THE FREQUENCY OF THIS TYPE EVENT HAS INCREASED IN THE A300 FLEET TO THE POINT THAT HIS ACR IS NOW TEACHING A RECOVERY TECHNIQUE FOR WHEN AN ALT OVERSHOOT IS IMMINENT/OCCURS. THE GUIDANCE IS A 10% RULE SO THAT 300 FT FROM THE CONSTRAINED ALT THE ROC/ROD SHOULD BE LESS THAN 3000 FPM; AND AT 100 FT THE ROC/ROD LESS THAN 1000 FPM. IF NOT; DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND LEVEL MANUALLY. THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE CAPTURE FAILURE OCCURRED ON HIS FLT; THE FMA INDICATED AN AIRSPD CAPTURE BUT DID NOT INDICATE AN ALT CAPTURE. THE RPTR ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS APPARENTLY A TREND IN THE A300 FLEET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.