Given descent clearance. Medium large transport aircraft started climb.

Attributes
ACN	170080
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 7334 flight time type : 51
ASRS Report	170080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	169915
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At 7000' 18 DME northeast at. Level at 7000' when approach control issued descent clearance to 5000'. Aircraft started to climb. It was noted that FMA went from VNAV level to VNAV climb. Corrective action was immediately taken to stop climb. Maximum altitude excursion was 400' to 7400'. Aircraft was immediately descended to 5000'. No traffic conflict resulted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GIVEN DESCENT CLRNC. MLG ACFT STARTED CLIMB.

Narrative: AT 7000' 18 DME NE AT. LEVEL AT 7000' WHEN APCH CTL ISSUED DSNT CLRNC TO 5000'. ACFT STARTED TO CLB. IT WAS NOTED THAT FMA WENT FROM VNAV LEVEL TO VNAV CLB. CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO STOP CLB. MAX ALT EXCURSION WAS 400' TO 7400'. ACFT WAS IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 5000'. NO TFC CONFLICT RESULTED.

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