Narrative:

On climb out from dfw on the worth 4 departure, abi transition, we were cleared to 10000'. The captain was flying the aircraft. Company procedure required captain and first officer altimeters be set to airport field level for takeoff and landing, reset to MSL above 3000'. Due to workload, the after takeoff and climb checklist hadn't been accomplished down to altimeter reset. Approaching 10000' we were given traffic inbound to dfw at 11000'. I spotted the traffic about 10 mi and 11 O'clock position. At this time we were approximately 9000' climbing at 2500 FPM. Captain was looking outside the aircraft for the traffic. I was pointing it out to him. At 10000' on third altimeter (MSL), I looked back in the aircraft. Traffic was passing off the left side of the aircraft. This was quickly followed by the master caution and an altitude warning on the EICAS. I advised the captain to check altitude. He had stopped the climb by 10400', then slowly began a descent. In approximately 10 seconds (after stopping the climb) we were cleared to 17000'. Major factor in the cause of the excursion--the captain being new to the aircraft (approximately 70 hours), feeling unsure of flying the aircraft with the autoplt. Automatic throttles and eec's were inoperative, adding to the feeling of flying the aircraft with the autoplt off. Also the added workload on my part, of having to program the FMC (for the intercept of radials, speeds and other clrncs received, in addition to traffic advisories). Note: if the autoplt had been on aircraft would have leveled off at 10000'. Suggest more training on system when things are abnormal and verify through understanding of aircraft equipment and systems. Also, a warning approaching an altitude would have helped in this case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION BY FLT CREW OF WDB 2 ENGINE ACFT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM DFW ON THE WORTH 4 DEP, ABI TRANSITION, WE WERE CLRED TO 10000'. THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. COMPANY PROC REQUIRED CAPT AND F/O ALTIMETERS BE SET TO ARPT FIELD LEVEL FOR TKOF AND LNDG, RESET TO MSL ABOVE 3000'. DUE TO WORKLOAD, THE AFTER TKOF AND CLB CHKLIST HADN'T BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DOWN TO ALTIMETER RESET. APCHING 10000' WE WERE GIVEN TFC INBND TO DFW AT 11000'. I SPOTTED THE TFC ABOUT 10 MI AND 11 O'CLOCK POS. AT THIS TIME WE WERE APPROX 9000' CLBING AT 2500 FPM. CAPT WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE ACFT FOR THE TFC. I WAS POINTING IT OUT TO HIM. AT 10000' ON THIRD ALTIMETER (MSL), I LOOKED BACK IN THE ACFT. TFC WAS PASSING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT. THIS WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY THE MASTER CAUTION AND AN ALT WARNING ON THE EICAS. I ADVISED THE CAPT TO CHK ALT. HE HAD STOPPED THE CLB BY 10400', THEN SLOWLY BEGAN A DSCNT. IN APPROX 10 SECS (AFTER STOPPING THE CLB) WE WERE CLRED TO 17000'. MAJOR FACTOR IN THE CAUSE OF THE EXCURSION--THE CAPT BEING NEW TO THE ACFT (APPROX 70 HRS), FEELING UNSURE OF FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT. AUTO THROTTLES AND EEC'S WERE INOP, ADDING TO THE FEELING OF FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT OFF. ALSO THE ADDED WORKLOAD ON MY PART, OF HAVING TO PROGRAM THE FMC (FOR THE INTERCEPT OF RADIALS, SPDS AND OTHER CLRNCS RECEIVED, IN ADDITION TO TFC ADVISORIES). NOTE: IF THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN ON ACFT WOULD HAVE LEVELED OFF AT 10000'. SUGGEST MORE TRNING ON SYS WHEN THINGS ARE ABNORMAL AND VERIFY THROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF ACFT EQUIP AND SYSTEMS. ALSO, A WARNING APCHING AN ALT WOULD HAVE HELPED IN THIS CASE.

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