An air carrier B737-400 crew admits to an altitude deviation altitude overshot on climb out.

Attributes
ACN	359641
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	359641
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18600 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	359490
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented 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 departed runway 30L at sjc. Our clearance was via the sjc 8 departure, which calls for a right turn to 110 degrees to join the oak R-121. The departure requires the turn to commence at sjc 1.8 DME to stay within 4.0 DME and a level off at 5000 ft. We were navigating using FMS. Workload was high for both pilots, and the FMS did not appear to be intercepting the course. Neither pilot noticed the altitude passing 5000 ft. At 5300 ft, the altitude alerter sounded and immediately departure control cleared us to 6000 ft. No mention of the deviation was made by ATC. The major cause of this deviation was when both pilots were distracted by a minor FMS problem during a busy departure. The PF should have ignored the FMS and switched to raw data navigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737-400 CREW ADMITS TO AN ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT ON CLBOUT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 30L AT SJC. OUR CLRNC WAS VIA THE SJC 8 DEP, WHICH CALLS FOR A R TURN TO 110 DEGS TO JOIN THE OAK R-121. THE DEP REQUIRES THE TURN TO COMMENCE AT SJC 1.8 DME TO STAY WITHIN 4.0 DME AND A LEVEL OFF AT 5000 FT. WE WERE NAVING USING FMS. WORKLOAD WAS HIGH FOR BOTH PLTS, AND THE FMS DID NOT APPEAR TO BE INTERCEPTING THE COURSE. NEITHER PLT NOTICED THE ALT PASSING 5000 FT. AT 5300 FT, THE ALT ALERTER SOUNDED AND IMMEDIATELY DEP CTL CLRED US TO 6000 FT. NO MENTION OF THE DEV WAS MADE BY ATC. THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS DEV WAS WHEN BOTH PLTS WERE DISTRACTED BY A MINOR FMS PROB DURING A BUSY DEP. THE PF SHOULD HAVE IGNORED THE FMS AND SWITCHED TO RAW DATA NAV.

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.