A B737-200 flight crew is concentrating so much on the flight instrumentation of the aircraft they c...

Attributes
ACN	396020
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 430
ASRS Report	396020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from cvg on the redds SID at approximately XX20Z with a clearance to FL270, we became distracted from monitoring the leveloff and climbed through FL270 up to FL274 before we immediately descended back to FL270. We advised ZOB of our altitude excursion and inquired about any close traffic. They advised us there was none. This particular aircraft is one of two B737's in air carrier fleet that do not have altitude capture capability in either the autoplt or flight director. I had even briefed prior to departure that we should be especially attentive to altitudes in climb and dscnts. The PF (my copilot) had called 'FL260 for FL270,' as required by procedure. We then noted that we were 3 to 4 degrees off course out of mqx and 6-7 mi off the published DME from new comerstown. A rechk of the compasses showed them to be split about 4 degrees. This was apparently just enough to distract us from our altitude monitoring. We had become preoccupied with and momentarily questioned what our navigation radios were telling us about our position on the SID. The fact that: a) we began our day at LL45 am. B) this was 1 of 2 air carrier B737's with early generation autoplts and flight director, and single tuning head navigation radios. C) this was the 4TH leg of the day after a nearly 3 hour layover in cincinnati, may have contributed to 'setting us up,' but were not, I believe decisive factors in causing our mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC IS CONCENTRATING SO MUCH ON THE FLT INSTRUMENTATION OF THE ACFT THEY CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT IN ZID, IN, AIRSPACE. NO ALT CAPTURE ON AUTOPLT OR FLT DIRECTOR ON ACFT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM CVG ON THE REDDS SID AT APPROX XX20Z WITH A CLRNC TO FL270, WE BECAME DISTRACTED FROM MONITORING THE LEVELOFF AND CLBED THROUGH FL270 UP TO FL274 BEFORE WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED BACK TO FL270. WE ADVISED ZOB OF OUR ALT EXCURSION AND INQUIRED ABOUT ANY CLOSE TFC. THEY ADVISED US THERE WAS NONE. THIS PARTICULAR ACFT IS ONE OF TWO B737'S IN ACR FLEET THAT DO NOT HAVE ALT CAPTURE CAPABILITY IN EITHER THE AUTOPLT OR FLT DIRECTOR. I HAD EVEN BRIEFED PRIOR TO DEP THAT WE SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ATTENTIVE TO ALTS IN CLB AND DSCNTS. THE PF (MY COPLT) HAD CALLED 'FL260 FOR FL270,' AS REQUIRED BY PROC. WE THEN NOTED THAT WE WERE 3 TO 4 DEGS OFF COURSE OUT OF MQX AND 6-7 MI OFF THE PUBLISHED DME FROM NEW COMERSTOWN. A RECHK OF THE COMPASSES SHOWED THEM TO BE SPLIT ABOUT 4 DEGS. THIS WAS APPARENTLY JUST ENOUGH TO DISTRACT US FROM OUR ALT MONITORING. WE HAD BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH AND MOMENTARILY QUESTIONED WHAT OUR NAV RADIOS WERE TELLING US ABOUT OUR POS ON THE SID. THE FACT THAT: A) WE BEGAN OUR DAY AT LL45 AM. B) THIS WAS 1 OF 2 ACR B737'S WITH EARLY GENERATION AUTOPLTS AND FLT DIRECTOR, AND SINGLE TUNING HEAD NAV RADIOS. C) THIS WAS THE 4TH LEG OF THE DAY AFTER A NEARLY 3 HR LAYOVER IN CINCINNATI, MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 'SETTING US UP,' BUT WERE NOT, I BELIEVE DECISIVE FACTORS IN CAUSING OUR MISTAKE.

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.

A B737-200 flight crew is concentrating so much on the flight instrumentation of the aircraft they climbed above assigned altitude in ZID, in, airspace. No altitude capture on autoplt or flight director on aircraft.