Narrative:

While on the offsh.4 departure from sfo, we were given a leveloff instruction from ATC to level off at 3000 ft. We were at 2800 ft when we got the 3000 ft leveloff instruction. We had been cleared to 15000 ft and the airplane was climbing at a good rate. We managed to leveloff at 3000 ft, while turning, in IMC conditions. I was responding to ATC instructions (radio), while listening to the captain's instructions concerning flap retraction, climb power selection, etc. I was task saturated and didn't get climb power selected by the time we leveled off. In this aircraft, unless climb power is selected, the autothrottles will remain where they are. The next thing I see is 300 KTS on the airspeed indicator. I called this to the attention of the captain and he immediately reduced the power to idle to get the speed back to 250 KTS. This airspeed deviation was caused by too many tasks in too short a period of time. This chain of events was started by ATC's unrealistic and late leveloff command. Supplemental information from acn 443341: at approximately 2800 ft, ATC advised us to level at 3000 ft (the climb rate was approximately 4000 FPM) in IMC, gave us a heading to 270 degrees then 210 degrees, and I noticed no traffic on TCASII. My first officer was late or missed a throttle command to set climb power in the thrust rating panel and we deviated our airspeed (indicating 295 KTS).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC REQUIRED TO TAKE AGGRESSIVE CTL ACTIONS TO COMPLY WITH TRACON ALT CHANGE. DUE TO ACFT CONFIGN, FLC HAD TO OVERRIDE AUTOMATION AS ACFT SPD INCREASED 300 KTS WHILE AT 3000 FT.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE OFFSH.4 DEP FROM SFO, WE WERE GIVEN A LEVELOFF INSTRUCTION FROM ATC TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT. WE WERE AT 2800 FT WHEN WE GOT THE 3000 FT LEVELOFF INSTRUCTION. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 15000 FT AND THE AIRPLANE WAS CLBING AT A GOOD RATE. WE MANAGED TO LEVELOFF AT 3000 FT, WHILE TURNING, IN IMC CONDITIONS. I WAS RESPONDING TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS (RADIO), WHILE LISTENING TO THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING FLAP RETRACTION, CLB PWR SELECTION, ETC. I WAS TASK SATURATED AND DIDN'T GET CLB PWR SELECTED BY THE TIME WE LEVELED OFF. IN THIS ACFT, UNLESS CLB PWR IS SELECTED, THE AUTOTHROTTLES WILL REMAIN WHERE THEY ARE. THE NEXT THING I SEE IS 300 KTS ON THE AIRSPD INDICATOR. I CALLED THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE CAPT AND HE IMMEDIATELY REDUCED THE PWR TO IDLE TO GET THE SPD BACK TO 250 KTS. THIS AIRSPD DEV WAS CAUSED BY TOO MANY TASKS IN TOO SHORT A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS WAS STARTED BY ATC'S UNREALISTIC AND LATE LEVELOFF COMMAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 443341: AT APPROX 2800 FT, ATC ADVISED US TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT (THE CLB RATE WAS APPROX 4000 FPM) IN IMC, GAVE US A HDG TO 270 DEGS THEN 210 DEGS, AND I NOTICED NO TFC ON TCASII. MY FO WAS LATE OR MISSED A THROTTLE COMMAND TO SET CLB PWR IN THE THRUST RATING PANEL AND WE DEVIATED OUR AIRSPD (INDICATING 295 KTS).

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.