Narrative:

I was the captain and PNF. During climb out, the first officer (who was hand flying) overshot the assigned altitude of 11000 ft by 700 ft before returning to assigned altitude. Several distrs contributed to this. Our company mandated passing '10000 ft' call overrode the '1000 ft to go' call. We were assigned 250 KTS. My first officer thought the speed restr had been lifted. I didn't. Since he had lowered the nose to accelerate, he now raised it (to slow to 25O KTS) and went through assigned altitude. I got diverted talking to ATC to see if ZLC still wanted 25O KTS. By the time we got things sorted out we had overshot cruise altitude. I immediately advised controller we were returning to assigned altitude. ATC seemed unconcerned. No traffic conflict resulted. To prevent recurrence: if autoplt with altitude capture is available, use it. Don't get sidetracked, fly the aircraft. Altitude should have been our first consideration, not assigned speed. No one gets too concerned with airspeed infractions, everyone gets concerned with altdevs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLC FAILED TO STOP CLB AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT AND PNF. DURING CLBOUT, THE FO (WHO WAS HAND FLYING) OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT BY 700 FT BEFORE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT. SEVERAL DISTRS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. OUR COMPANY MANDATED PASSING '10000 FT' CALL OVERRODE THE '1000 FT TO GO' CALL. WE WERE ASSIGNED 250 KTS. MY FO THOUGHT THE SPD RESTR HAD BEEN LIFTED. I DIDN'T. SINCE HE HAD LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE, HE NOW RAISED IT (TO SLOW TO 25O KTS) AND WENT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT. I GOT DIVERTED TALKING TO ATC TO SEE IF ZLC STILL WANTED 25O KTS. BY THE TIME WE GOT THINGS SORTED OUT WE HAD OVERSHOT CRUISE ALT. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED CTLR WE WERE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT. ATC SEEMED UNCONCERNED. NO TFC CONFLICT RESULTED. TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: IF AUTOPLT WITH ALT CAPTURE IS AVAILABLE, USE IT. DON'T GET SIDETRACKED, FLY THE ACFT. ALT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION, NOT ASSIGNED SPD. NO ONE GETS TOO CONCERNED WITH AIRSPD INFRACTIONS, EVERYONE GETS CONCERNED WITH ALTDEVS.

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.