Narrative:

Flying the pom 6 departure from ont to oak in brand new B737-700. Established on 255 degree heading to intercept pom 114 degree radial inbound and climbing at 3000 FPM, I selected 'LNAV' and 'V speed' on the autoplt MCP as I typically would do. Approaching 7000 ft MSL, I noticed on my EFIS display that 'altitude acquired' and 'LNAV' both were annunciated, but we had drifted left of the 255 degree heading. The next thing I noticed was that the autoplt was going to overshoot 8000 ft leveloff. Only now did both the captain and I simultaneously realize (and confirm visually -- no green light on 'autoplt B' switch) that the autoplt was not engaged. I was not able to stop the climb until we reached 8300 ft MSL and socal cleared us to 9000 ft and direct pom to resume the departure. I suspect that I never depressed the command autoplt B button, even though my brain was assuming I had since I was seeing the flight director status indicator lights on my EFIS panel and mistook them for what the autoplt was doing. (We had toga mode engaged for departure, so the flight director was already alive.) conclusion: relative unfamiliarity with a common type-rating aircraft, yet radically different looking presentation contributed to this simple error of omission. Also, you really have to push hard on the yoke and pull off nearly all the power to make this beast stop climbing! The familiar 'score board' of the -300/-500 airplane looks a lot different on the -700. I hope next week when I'm flying the B737-200 I will remember that it won't leveloff itself regardless of which buttons I push or levers I engage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT WHEN THEY REALIZED THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED.

Narrative: FLYING THE POM 6 DEP FROM ONT TO OAK IN BRAND NEW B737-700. ESTABLISHED ON 255 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT POM 114 DEG RADIAL INBOUND AND CLBING AT 3000 FPM, I SELECTED 'LNAV' AND 'V SPD' ON THE AUTOPLT MCP AS I TYPICALLY WOULD DO. APCHING 7000 FT MSL, I NOTICED ON MY EFIS DISPLAY THAT 'ALT ACQUIRED' AND 'LNAV' BOTH WERE ANNUNCIATED, BUT WE HAD DRIFTED L OF THE 255 DEG HDG. THE NEXT THING I NOTICED WAS THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS GOING TO OVERSHOOT 8000 FT LEVELOFF. ONLY NOW DID BOTH THE CAPT AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY REALIZE (AND CONFIRM VISUALLY -- NO GREEN LIGHT ON 'AUTOPLT B' SWITCH) THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE CLB UNTIL WE REACHED 8300 FT MSL AND SOCAL CLRED US TO 9000 FT AND DIRECT POM TO RESUME THE DEP. I SUSPECT THAT I NEVER DEPRESSED THE COMMAND AUTOPLT B BUTTON, EVEN THOUGH MY BRAIN WAS ASSUMING I HAD SINCE I WAS SEEING THE FLT DIRECTOR STATUS INDICATOR LIGHTS ON MY EFIS PANEL AND MISTOOK THEM FOR WHAT THE AUTOPLT WAS DOING. (WE HAD TOGA MODE ENGAGED FOR DEP, SO THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS ALREADY ALIVE.) CONCLUSION: RELATIVE UNFAMILIARITY WITH A COMMON TYPE-RATING ACFT, YET RADICALLY DIFFERENT LOOKING PRESENTATION CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIMPLE ERROR OF OMISSION. ALSO, YOU REALLY HAVE TO PUSH HARD ON THE YOKE AND PULL OFF NEARLY ALL THE PWR TO MAKE THIS BEAST STOP CLBING! THE FAMILIAR 'SCORE BOARD' OF THE -300/-500 AIRPLANE LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT ON THE -700. I HOPE NEXT WK WHEN I'M FLYING THE B737-200 I WILL REMEMBER THAT IT WON'T LEVELOFF ITSELF REGARDLESS OF WHICH BUTTONS I PUSH OR LEVERS I ENGAGE.

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.