A B727 deviated from track and altitude assignments partly because of chart confusion.

Attributes
ACN	714353
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bwz.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 32700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc artcc : zdc.artcc
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	714353
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to departure; flight routing changed by ATC. Incorrect chart in hand after takeoff. Captain flying; first officer pilot monitoring; first officer less than 100 hours. Aircraft has no altitude capture capability only manual hold. Company is using new navigation charts. First officer communicating with ATC. ATC directs us to proceed direct to bwz as our next clearance limit. As we approached bwz confusion set in amongst the crew as to further routing. I keyed the microphone at this time as the pilot monitoring looked overwhelmed trying to find further routing on the chart and was not of assistance to me; I asked ATC where they would like us to go next; they replied J6 bwg at this time the deviation was noted by all. All 3 crew members are now trying to assist in helping first officer. First officer says that he announced FL310 for FL320 but the engineer and myself did not hear this. Extreme distraction from all areas ATC and crew. What could have been done better as we are still in the learning mode with these charts is to have taken a short delay and highlighted the chart with the new routing. ATC did see this but didn't seem overly concerned; but that was probably by our misleading acknowledgement of the correct flight level; as that was where we thought we were. They showed us at 900 ft high we promptly returned to FL320. No other traffic noted in the area. Factors for cause routing change not adequately briefed; first officer not assertive enough; new company charts and non standard and unclr initial ATC clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 DEVIATED FROM TRACK AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS PARTLY BECAUSE OF CHART CONFUSION.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP; FLT ROUTING CHANGED BY ATC. INCORRECT CHART IN HAND AFTER TKOF. CAPT FLYING; FO PLT MONITORING; FO LESS THAN 100 HRS. ACFT HAS NO ALT CAPTURE CAPABILITY ONLY MANUAL HOLD. COMPANY IS USING NEW NAV CHARTS. FO COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. ATC DIRECTS US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO BWZ AS OUR NEXT CLRNC LIMIT. AS WE APCHED BWZ CONFUSION SET IN AMONGST THE CREW AS TO FURTHER ROUTING. I KEYED THE MIKE AT THIS TIME AS THE PLT MONITORING LOOKED OVERWHELMED TRYING TO FIND FURTHER ROUTING ON THE CHART AND WAS NOT OF ASSISTANCE TO ME; I ASKED ATC WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE US TO GO NEXT; THEY REPLIED J6 BWG AT THIS TIME THE DEV WAS NOTED BY ALL. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS ARE NOW TRYING TO ASSIST IN HELPING FO. FO SAYS THAT HE ANNOUNCED FL310 FOR FL320 BUT THE ENGINEER AND MYSELF DID NOT HEAR THIS. EXTREME DISTR FROM ALL AREAS ATC AND CREW. WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER AS WE ARE STILL IN THE LEARNING MODE WITH THESE CHARTS IS TO HAVE TAKEN A SHORT DELAY AND HIGHLIGHTED THE CHART WITH THE NEW ROUTING. ATC DID SEE THIS BUT DIDN'T SEEM OVERLY CONCERNED; BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY BY OUR MISLEADING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CORRECT FLT LEVEL; AS THAT WAS WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE. THEY SHOWED US AT 900 FT HIGH WE PROMPTLY RETURNED TO FL320. NO OTHER TFC NOTED IN THE AREA. FACTORS FOR CAUSE ROUTING CHANGE NOT ADEQUATELY BRIEFED; FO NOT ASSERTIVE ENOUGH; NEW COMPANY CHARTS AND NON STANDARD AND UNCLR INITIAL ATC CLRNC.

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.