Widebody transport flight crew has altitude deviation on climb.

Attributes
ACN	223039
Time
Date	199210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hnl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	223039
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Given clearance for speed at your own discretion, over international waters. Meaning that he had traffic behind us and he wanted us to speed up. Clearance was to 5000 ft. Exceeded this altitude by 700 ft and shortly after was given higher altitude. Additional factors were: should have called in sick, because it was necessary to complete this leg to remain qualified (line check). Head congestion caused me to have vertigo in the climb. Instead of using the autoplt or giving the plane to the first officer, I hand flew and became fixated. Important supplements: the crew was dysfunctional because: first officer had a hearing problem and was not attentive. So was over 60 yrs, and was unable to fit into his new position. This was the second month that I had to work with this so, and he was disruptive to the crew because he resented losing his position of authority. In effect, he created a new set of problems because he would not accept direction. This combined with a non assertive first officer made for a bad combination, which reduced my overall effectiveness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLC HAS ALTDEV ON CLB.

Narrative: GIVEN CLRNC FOR SPD AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION, OVER INTL WATERS. MEANING THAT HE HAD TFC BEHIND US AND HE WANTED US TO SPD UP. CLRNC WAS TO 5000 FT. EXCEEDED THIS ALT BY 700 FT AND SHORTLY AFTER WAS GIVEN HIGHER ALT. ADDITIONAL FACTORS WERE: SHOULD HAVE CALLED IN SICK, BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THIS LEG TO REMAIN QUALIFIED (LINE CHK). HEAD CONGESTION CAUSED ME TO HAVE VERTIGO IN THE CLB. INSTEAD OF USING THE AUTOPLT OR GIVING THE PLANE TO THE FO, I HAND FLEW AND BECAME FIXATED. IMPORTANT SUPPLEMENTS: THE CREW WAS DYSFUNCTIONAL BECAUSE: FO HAD A HEARING PROBLEM AND WAS NOT ATTENTIVE. SO WAS OVER 60 YRS, AND WAS UNABLE TO FIT INTO HIS NEW POS. THIS WAS THE SECOND MONTH THAT I HAD TO WORK WITH THIS SO, AND HE WAS DISRUPTIVE TO THE CREW BECAUSE HE RESENTED LOSING HIS POS OF AUTHORITY. IN EFFECT, HE CREATED A NEW SET OF PROBLEMS BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT DIRECTION. THIS COMBINED WITH A NON ASSERTIVE FO MADE FOR A BAD COMBINATION, WHICH REDUCED MY OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS.

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.