An MD11F cruise at FL360 #2 autoplt began an uncommanded climb of 600-700 FPM. Altitude hold selected and airplane leveled at FL360.

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Attributes
ACN	711499
Time
Date	200609
Place
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7323 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	711499
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	711224
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : vert speed indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On sep/fri/06; we took off at XA00Z. During climb out on departure we made a turn to the west and the #2 autoplt disconnected during the turn. We leveled out and engaged the #2 autoplt again and continued on our way. We had been cruising for about 8.5 hours. I was looking at my charts at the time because we were changing from one chart to another. We had entered some light turbulence and then had a feeling of the nose climbing. This caused me to look at my instruments and I saw the VV1 tape increasing through 600-700 FPM of an uncommanded climb. I looked over to see 37XXX ft in the altitude window and quickly asked the first officer if we were cleared to that altitude. He said no and was already reaching for the altitude dial and turned it to 36000 ft. I looked back to check my course; heading; speed etc; and by that time the aircraft was leveling back to 36000 ft. I then selected altitude hold (we had not been in altitude hold before) and watched it carefully the rest of the flight without any other problems. We entered a write up in the logbook of aircraft X and described the uncommanded climb event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11F CRUISE AT FL360 #2 AUTOPLT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED CLB OF 600-700 FPM. ALT HOLD SELECTED AND AIRPLANE LEVELED AT FL360.

Narrative: ON SEP/FRI/06; WE TOOK OFF AT XA00Z. DURING CLBOUT ON DEP WE MADE A TURN TO THE W AND THE #2 AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED DURING THE TURN. WE LEVELED OUT AND ENGAGED THE #2 AUTOPLT AGAIN AND CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. WE HAD BEEN CRUISING FOR ABOUT 8.5 HRS. I WAS LOOKING AT MY CHARTS AT THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE CHANGING FROM ONE CHART TO ANOTHER. WE HAD ENTERED SOME LIGHT TURB AND THEN HAD A FEELING OF THE NOSE CLBING. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOOK AT MY INSTS AND I SAW THE VV1 TAPE INCREASING THROUGH 600-700 FPM OF AN UNCOMMANDED CLB. I LOOKED OVER TO SEE 37XXX FT IN THE ALT WINDOW AND QUICKLY ASKED THE FO IF WE WERE CLRED TO THAT ALT. HE SAID NO AND WAS ALREADY REACHING FOR THE ALT DIAL AND TURNED IT TO 36000 FT. I LOOKED BACK TO CHK MY COURSE; HDG; SPD ETC; AND BY THAT TIME THE ACFT WAS LEVELING BACK TO 36000 FT. I THEN SELECTED ALT HOLD (WE HAD NOT BEEN IN ALT HOLD BEFORE) AND WATCHED IT CAREFULLY THE REST OF THE FLT WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBS. WE ENTERED A WRITE UP IN THE LOGBOOK OF ACFT X AND DESCRIBED THE UNCOMMANDED CLB EVENT.

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.