Air carrier overshoots assigned altitude when first officer is reluctant to take captain's direction...

Attributes
ACN	443595
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btr.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : btr.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 163 flight time total : 12420 flight time type : 10620
ASRS Report	443595
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Thunderstorms reported, visually observed and monitored on WX radar prior to takeoff. First officer was flying this leg. Takeoff was uneventful, but close proximity to WX obviously distraction him, as vector from departure was issued to turn to 300 degree heading (WX was 5-10 mi away). He brought nose up too high. I told him to lower it, then he used too much angle of bank (22 degrees). 15 degree angle of bank was maximum allowable at this point (leading edge slats extended). I told him to reduce it, but he only reduced it to 20 degrees angle of bank. I recommended he engage autoplt, but he refused. Now we were climbing through 4500 ft with 2200 FPM. He climbed through 5000 ft, so I pushed forward on yoke to stop the climb and alert him. He said 'I've got it.' so I slowly released forward pressure, but aircraft continued to slowly climb (100-200 FPM), altitude now 5200 ft. So I reapplied forward pressure and he said 'I've got it.' he began to retake control and fly it manually. Recommendation: when WX becomes an overriding concern, engage the autoplt to reduce workload an allow more time to analyze and interpretation the WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN FO IS RELUCTANT TO TAKE CAPT'S DIRECTION.

Narrative: TSTMS RPTED, VISUALLY OBSERVED AND MONITORED ON WX RADAR PRIOR TO TKOF. FO WAS FLYING THIS LEG. TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT CLOSE PROX TO WX OBVIOUSLY DISTR HIM, AS VECTOR FROM DEP WAS ISSUED TO TURN TO 300 DEG HDG (WX WAS 5-10 MI AWAY). HE BROUGHT NOSE UP TOO HIGH. I TOLD HIM TO LOWER IT, THEN HE USED TOO MUCH ANGLE OF BANK (22 DEGS). 15 DEG ANGLE OF BANK WAS MAX ALLOWABLE AT THIS POINT (LEADING EDGE SLATS EXTENDED). I TOLD HIM TO REDUCE IT, BUT HE ONLY REDUCED IT TO 20 DEGS ANGLE OF BANK. I RECOMMENDED HE ENGAGE AUTOPLT, BUT HE REFUSED. NOW WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 4500 FT WITH 2200 FPM. HE CLBED THROUGH 5000 FT, SO I PUSHED FORWARD ON YOKE TO STOP THE CLB AND ALERT HIM. HE SAID 'I'VE GOT IT.' SO I SLOWLY RELEASED FORWARD PRESSURE, BUT ACFT CONTINUED TO SLOWLY CLB (100-200 FPM), ALT NOW 5200 FT. SO I REAPPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE AND HE SAID 'I'VE GOT IT.' HE BEGAN TO RETAKE CTL AND FLY IT MANUALLY. RECOMMENDATION: WHEN WX BECOMES AN OVERRIDING CONCERN, ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT TO REDUCE WORKLOAD AN ALLOW MORE TIME TO ANALYZE AND INTERP THE WX.

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.