An altitude excursion in a mcdonnell-douglas super 80 resulted from improper autoplt mode selection.

Attributes
ACN	301220
Time
Date	199504
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31300
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	301220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer selected speed select from performance. Aircraft entered a 200 FPM climb from level at FL310. Aircraft announced altitude. Aircraft was descended back to FL310. Deviation was approximately 300 ft. I was distracted getting something out of my kitbag and noticed nothing until we received altitude warning. ATC didn't seem to notice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ALT EXCURSION IN A MCDONNELL-DOUGLAS SUPER 80 RESULTED FROM IMPROPER AUTOPLT MODE SELECTION.

Narrative: FO SELECTED SPD SELECT FROM PERFORMANCE. ACFT ENTERED A 200 FPM CLB FROM LEVEL AT FL310. ACFT ANNOUNCED ALT. ACFT WAS DSNDED BACK TO FL310. DEV WAS APPROX 300 FT. I WAS DISTRACTED GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF MY KITBAG AND NOTICED NOTHING UNTIL WE RECEIVED ALT WARNING. ATC DIDN'T SEEM TO NOTICE.

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.