Narrative:

On climb out of jfk, we were cleared to 17000 ft. After leveling at 10000 ft, the climb was initiated on the A310 by pulling out on the altitude adjustment knob which prompts the autoplt to start a climb to the new altitude. The A310 was relatively light on the domestic leg and was climbing in excess of 3000 FPM. As we approached 17000 ft it became obvious the autoplt was not leveling at 17000 ft and I disengaged the autoplt and manually leveled the aircraft. Due to the high rate of climb, we went as high as 17400 ft before descending back to 17000 ft. The center asked us to confirm we were leveling at 17000 ft but did not mention the deviation or any potential conflict. The problem was caused by an inadvertent movement of the altitude selector to 18000 ft when the knob was used to initiate the climb. This problem can be prevented or reduced in several ways. First and most important: rechk the altitude window after using the knob to initiate a climb or descent. Second: push in the knob to decrease the sensitivity to adjustments of 100 ft instead of 1000 ft (this minimizes the possible deviation). Third: use the switches below the knob to initiate changes. Instead of the altitude knob. The deviation was preventable.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF JFK, WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT. AFTER LEVELING AT 10000 FT, THE CLB WAS INITIATED ON THE A310 BY PULLING OUT ON THE ALT ADJUSTMENT KNOB WHICH PROMPTS THE AUTOPLT TO START A CLB TO THE NEW ALT. THE A310 WAS RELATIVELY LIGHT ON THE DOMESTIC LEG AND WAS CLBING IN EXCESS OF 3000 FPM. AS WE APCHED 17000 FT IT BECAME OBVIOUS THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT LEVELING AT 17000 FT AND I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY LEVELED THE ACFT. DUE TO THE HIGH RATE OF CLB, WE WENT AS HIGH AS 17400 FT BEFORE DSNDING BACK TO 17000 FT. THE CTR ASKED US TO CONFIRM WE WERE LEVELING AT 17000 FT BUT DID NOT MENTION THE DEV OR ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY AN INADVERTENT MOVEMENT OF THE ALT SELECTOR TO 18000 FT WHEN THE KNOB WAS USED TO INITIATE THE CLB. THIS PROB CAN BE PREVENTED OR REDUCED IN SEVERAL WAYS. FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT: RECHK THE ALT WINDOW AFTER USING THE KNOB TO INITIATE A CLB OR DSCNT. SECOND: PUSH IN THE KNOB TO DECREASE THE SENSITIVITY TO ADJUSTMENTS OF 100 FT INSTEAD OF 1000 FT (THIS MINIMIZES THE POSSIBLE DEV). THIRD: USE THE SWITCHES BELOW THE KNOB TO INITIATE CHANGES. INSTEAD OF THE ALT KNOB. THE DEV WAS PREVENTABLE.

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.