An ATR72 flight crew climbed through their cleared altitude on departure in part because the aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	811531
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	811531
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We departed dfw out of runway 35L heading to ZZZ. This aircraft had several MEL items including the autoplt and the brake temperature indicator which required to leave the landing gear down for 1 min after takeoff. During the initial climb out; the tower advised that our landing gear appeared to be down several times; then the captain replied a couple of times explaining that we had an MEL that required to leave the gear in the down position for 1 min. The SID that was assigned to our flight required us to level off at 2000 ft MSL initially; which is about 1300 ft AGL. During this high workload period and having so many MEL procedures that affected the SOP's after takeoff and the high degree of concern that the tower controller asked about our landing gear still being down at the time; caught my attention and the fact that the autoplt was inoperative; I accidentally climbed to 2500 ft MSL and immediately proceeded to descend back to 2000 ft MSL. No other aircraft were involved in this situation and proceeded to contact departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR72 FLIGHT CREW CLIMBED THROUGH THEIR CLEARED ALTITUDE ON DEPARTURE IN PART BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH INOPERATIVE AUTOPILOT AND BRAKE TEMPERATURE GAUGES RESULTING IN INCREASED PILOT WORKLOAD. SEVERAL CALLS FROM TOWER ALERTING THE CREW TO THE GEAR STILL BEING EXTENDED ADDED TO THE DISTRACTIONS.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED DFW OUT OF RWY 35L HEADING TO ZZZ. THIS ACFT HAD SEVERAL MEL ITEMS INCLUDING THE AUTOPLT AND THE BRAKE TEMP INDICATOR WHICH REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE LNDG GEAR DOWN FOR 1 MIN AFTER TKOF. DURING THE INITIAL CLBOUT; THE TWR ADVISED THAT OUR LNDG GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN SEVERAL TIMES; THEN THE CAPT REPLIED A COUPLE OF TIMES EXPLAINING THAT WE HAD AN MEL THAT REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE GEAR IN THE DOWN POS FOR 1 MIN. THE SID THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO OUR FLT REQUIRED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 2000 FT MSL INITIALLY; WHICH IS ABOUT 1300 FT AGL. DURING THIS HIGH WORKLOAD PERIOD AND HAVING SO MANY MEL PROCS THAT AFFECTED THE SOP'S AFTER TKOF AND THE HIGH DEGREE OF CONCERN THAT THE TWR CTLR ASKED ABOUT OUR LNDG GEAR STILL BEING DOWN AT THE TIME; CAUGHT MY ATTN AND THE FACT THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS INOP; I ACCIDENTALLY CLBED TO 2500 FT MSL AND IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO DSND BACK TO 2000 FT MSL. NO OTHER ACFT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION AND PROCEEDED TO CONTACT DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.