MD80 crew overshoots assigned altitude after asking more from the autoplt than it was capable of doi...

Attributes
ACN	461460
Time
Date	200001
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5450
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	461460
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 17600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	461404
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	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:

The MD80 was light. We climbed at a high rate after takeoff through 4000 ft. Captain called for autoplt on at 4000 ft. The altitude had already captured due to high rate. The autoplt reverted to vertical speed mode losing the altitude capture. The captain turned off the autoplt and manually leveled the aircraft off at 5450 ft, 450 ft above assigned. To traffic on TCAS. He smoothly returned to 5000 ft. When close to leveloff altitude, you should not touch the vertical speed wheel or autoplt on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT AFTER ASKING MORE FROM THE AUTOPLT THAN IT WAS CAPABLE OF DOING.

Narrative: THE MD80 WAS LIGHT. WE CLBED AT A HIGH RATE AFTER TKOF THROUGH 4000 FT. CAPT CALLED FOR AUTOPLT ON AT 4000 FT. THE ALT HAD ALREADY CAPTURED DUE TO HIGH RATE. THE AUTOPLT REVERTED TO VERT SPD MODE LOSING THE ALT CAPTURE. THE CAPT TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY LEVELED THE ACFT OFF AT 5450 FT, 450 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED. TO TRAFFIC ON TCAS. HE SMOOTHLY RETURNED TO 5000 FT. WHEN CLOSE TO LEVELOFF ALT, YOU SHOULD NOT TOUCH THE VERT SPD WHEEL OR AUTOPLT ON.

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.

MD80 crew overshoots assigned altitude after asking more from the autoplt than it was capable of doing.