DC10 crew was accelerating when the autoplt tripped off. This resulted in a pitch up.

Attributes
ACN	418470
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : trm
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	418470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	417967
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were level at 14000 ft and accelerating to climb speed with autoplt #1 and both autothrottles engaged. I had my head turned to get a chart from my flight kit when I felt a rapid pitch change in the aircraft. I looked up and saw that the aircraft had pitched up and the autoplt had disconnected. The captain corrected the situation by disconnecting the autothrottles and manually flying the aircraft to return to 14000 ft MSL. An altitude deviation of approximately 300 ft above 14000 ft occurred. In stable flight conditions, the captain re-engaged autoplt #1 and both autothrottles. After approximately 1 min, autoplt #1 reverted to the control wheel steering mode. We disconnected autoplt #1 and used autoplt #2 for the remainder of the flight with no further problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CREW WAS ACCELERATING WHEN THE AUTOPLT TRIPPED OFF. THIS RESULTED IN A PITCH UP.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 14000 FT AND ACCELERATING TO CLB SPD WITH AUTOPLT #1 AND BOTH AUTOTHROTTLES ENGAGED. I HAD MY HEAD TURNED TO GET A CHART FROM MY FLT KIT WHEN I FELT A RAPID PITCH CHANGE IN THE ACFT. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT THE ACFT HAD PITCHED UP AND THE AUTOPLT HAD DISCONNECTED. THE CAPT CORRECTED THE SIT BY DISCONNECTING THE AUTOTHROTTLES AND MANUALLY FLYING THE ACFT TO RETURN TO 14000 FT MSL. AN ALTDEV OF APPROX 300 FT ABOVE 14000 FT OCCURRED. IN STABLE FLT CONDITIONS, THE CAPT RE-ENGAGED AUTOPLT #1 AND BOTH AUTOTHROTTLES. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN, AUTOPLT #1 REVERTED TO THE CTL WHEEL STEERING MODE. WE DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT #1 AND USED AUTOPLT #2 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WITH NO FURTHER PROBS.

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.