A300 aircraft in cruise was cleared for crossing restr. Reporter first officer, PF, inserted the restr into FMS, but a discontinuity resulted which disengaged the autoplt. Before the first officer realized it the aircraft had climbed 300 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	366730
Time
Date	199704
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rod
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	366730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	366716
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I generated an inadvertent flight plan discontinuity while inputting a center directed altitude restr to cross 30 northeast of rosewood at FL240. We were in cruise at FL290 at the time with autoplt engaged. The autoplt disengaged when the flight plan discontinuity was entered. I permitted the aircraft to climb while re-engaging the autoplt and re-establishing the navigation mode of the FMS. I estimate that the altitude excursion was no more that 300 ft, as I read on the altimeter when I realized the excursion was occurring. I hand flew the aircraft back to FL290 while re-engaging the autoplt and continued the descent to FL240 as cleared by center. The altitude deviation occurred due to my attempt to re-establish FMS operation rather than pay absolute attention to flying the aircraft first and then straightening out the error in programming the FMS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 ACFT IN CRUISE WAS CLRED FOR XING RESTR. RPTR FO, PF, INSERTED THE RESTR INTO FMS, BUT A DISCONTINUITY RESULTED WHICH DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. BEFORE THE FO REALIZED IT THE ACFT HAD CLBED 300 FT.

Narrative: I GENERATED AN INADVERTENT FLT PLAN DISCONTINUITY WHILE INPUTTING A CTR DIRECTED ALT RESTR TO CROSS 30 NE OF ROSEWOOD AT FL240. WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL290 AT THE TIME WITH AUTOPLT ENGAGED. THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED WHEN THE FLT PLAN DISCONTINUITY WAS ENTERED. I PERMITTED THE ACFT TO CLB WHILE RE-ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT AND RE-ESTABLISHING THE NAV MODE OF THE FMS. I ESTIMATE THAT THE ALT EXCURSION WAS NO MORE THAT 300 FT, AS I READ ON THE ALTIMETER WHEN I REALIZED THE EXCURSION WAS OCCURRING. I HAND FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO FL290 WHILE RE-ENGAGING THE AUTOPLT AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO FL240 AS CLRED BY CTR. THE ALTDEV OCCURRED DUE TO MY ATTEMPT TO RE-ESTABLISH FMS OP RATHER THAN PAY ABSOLUTE ATTN TO FLYING THE ACFT FIRST AND THEN STRAIGHTENING OUT THE ERROR IN PROGRAMMING THE FMS.

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.