Altitude overshot while distracted by an FMS anomaly.

Attributes
ACN	257812
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
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
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	257812
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were departing from lga climbing out of 10000 ft with a clearance to 12000 ft. We were climbing at 4000 FPM. Departure cleared us to colts neck VOR, which was not on our original routing. We looked up the 3 letter identify for colts neck (col) and entered it into the FMS. The FMS came up with 2 'col's,' and asked us which one we wanted. Neither of us had seen this before and we both tried to identify the correct NAVAID. We used the correct frequency to determine which 'col' we wanted. We worked as quickly as possible, but when we rechked our altitude, we were almost through 12000 ft. We pitched over (manually) but still climbed through 12000 by about 300 ft. ATC questioned us, but by then we were back at 12000. We later determined that the second 'col' was located in mexico, and had only recently been entered into our FMS data base. We both got too involved at the same time with 1 problem. The PF should have left all the FMS problems to the PNF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT WHILE DISTRACTED BY AN FMS ANOMALY.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING FROM LGA CLBING OUT OF 10000 FT WITH A CLRNC TO 12000 FT. WE WERE CLBING AT 4000 FPM. DEP CLRED US TO COLTS NECK VOR, WHICH WAS NOT ON OUR ORIGINAL ROUTING. WE LOOKED UP THE 3 LETTER IDENT FOR COLTS NECK (COL) AND ENTERED IT INTO THE FMS. THE FMS CAME UP WITH 2 'COL'S,' AND ASKED US WHICH ONE WE WANTED. NEITHER OF US HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE AND WE BOTH TRIED TO IDENT THE CORRECT NAVAID. WE USED THE CORRECT FREQ TO DETERMINE WHICH 'COL' WE WANTED. WE WORKED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WHEN WE RECHKED OUR ALT, WE WERE ALMOST THROUGH 12000 FT. WE PITCHED OVER (MANUALLY) BUT STILL CLBED THROUGH 12000 BY ABOUT 300 FT. ATC QUESTIONED US, BUT BY THEN WE WERE BACK AT 12000. WE LATER DETERMINED THAT THE SECOND 'COL' WAS LOCATED IN MEXICO, AND HAD ONLY RECENTLY BEEN ENTERED INTO OUR FMS DATA BASE. WE BOTH GOT TOO INVOLVED AT THE SAME TIME WITH 1 PROB. THE PF SHOULD HAVE LEFT ALL THE FMS PROBS TO THE PNF.

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.