Narrative:

At approximately 8 mi from pvd airport, approach control cleared flight for visual approach to runway 5R. 2 other targets were called to our attention, 1 at 10 O'clock below us, and the other at our 1 O'clock position which was also our traffic to follow to airport. Autoplt was engaged by captain to visually acquire traffic on left, at same time I was searching for traffic to follow. Upon engaging the autoplt while in a right turn, aircraft climbed approximately 300 ft. Captain disconnected autoplt and intercepted GS to runway 5R. No conflicting traffic in the area. Major factors were simultaneous traffic calls and autoplt inability to handle confign changes for landing while in a turn to runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CLBED FROM ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN APCH.

Narrative: AT APPROX 8 MI FROM PVD ARPT, APCH CTL CLRED FLT FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5R. 2 OTHER TARGETS WERE CALLED TO OUR ATTN, 1 AT 10 O'CLOCK BELOW US, AND THE OTHER AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS WHICH WAS ALSO OUR TFC TO FOLLOW TO ARPT. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED BY CAPT TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE TFC ON L, AT SAME TIME I WAS SEARCHING FOR TFC TO FOLLOW. UPON ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT WHILE IN A R TURN, ACFT CLBED APPROX 300 FT. CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND INTERCEPTED GS TO RWY 5R. NO CONFLICTING TFC IN THE AREA. MAJOR FACTORS WERE SIMULTANEOUS TFC CALLS AND AUTOPLT INABILITY TO HANDLE CONFIGN CHANGES FOR LNDG WHILE IN A TURN TO RWY.

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.