A B747 crew fails to stop the aircraft's climb out of assigned altitude while on autoplt prior to an altitude overshoot. Crew was attempting to obtain further clearance from controller at egtt, first officer.

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Attributes
ACN	456400
Time
Date	199912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : egtt.artcc
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : egtt.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	456400
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 191 flight time total : 2465 flight time type : 865
ASRS Report	456524
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being vectored to several fixes off our flight plan and unfamiliar to us, so both pilots were using charts, and INS 'B' autoplt was flying aircraft and altitude started to drift above FL240 with hold selected. At FL241.5, I selected 'a' autoplt and altitude hold. Got automatic stabilizer trim light and altitude again began to increase. Took manual control but did not stop climb before altitude went to approximately FL243.5. While the altitude deviation was directly related to autoflt functions, it was ultimately failure of pilot to fly aircraft during a very busy ATC/navigation situation. Supplemental information from acn 456524: trying to get clearance further en route, so we would not have to enter holding at ratuk. Both pilots concentrating on ATC conversation for clearance. ATC was extremely busy! Recognized altitude deviation before ATC response but not before going 380 ft above assigned altitude. Corrected situation with no further trouble.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 CREW FAILS TO STOP THE ACFT'S CLB OUT OF ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ON AUTOPLT PRIOR TO AN ALT OVERSHOOT. CREW WAS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN FURTHER CLRNC FROM CTLR AT EGTT, FO.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO SEVERAL FIXES OFF OUR FLT PLAN AND UNFAMILIAR TO US, SO BOTH PLTS WERE USING CHARTS, AND INS 'B' AUTOPLT WAS FLYING ACFT AND ALT STARTED TO DRIFT ABOVE FL240 WITH HOLD SELECTED. AT FL241.5, I SELECTED 'A' AUTOPLT AND ALT HOLD. GOT AUTO STABILIZER TRIM LIGHT AND ALT AGAIN BEGAN TO INCREASE. TOOK MANUAL CTL BUT DID NOT STOP CLB BEFORE ALT WENT TO APPROX FL243.5. WHILE THE ALTDEV WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO AUTOFLT FUNCTIONS, IT WAS ULTIMATELY FAILURE OF PLT TO FLY ACFT DURING A VERY BUSY ATC/NAV SIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 456524: TRYING TO GET CLRNC FURTHER ENRTE, SO WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO ENTER HOLDING AT RATUK. BOTH PLTS CONCENTRATING ON ATC CONVERSATION FOR CLRNC. ATC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY! RECOGNIZED ALTDEV BEFORE ATC RESPONSE BUT NOT BEFORE GOING 380 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT. CORRECTED SIT WITH NO FURTHER TROUBLE.

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.