Narrative:

We were given a climb to 13000 ft from 10000 ft (level) and a turn to intercept the airway. I had the autoplt engaged and thought I pushed the flight level change button and looked over to see the experienced copilot having trouble getting the correct bearing to the station because he thought according to his training at our company and the ambiguous manual. I said no, that's the wrong bearing. Even though that's what's printed on the chart for the airway, it's too far away and so it doesn't overlay the fix on the airway behind us. About this time, center called us with the same clearance to climb, and we both noticed we were still at 10000 ft. I let the distraction of navigation keep me from making sure the aircraft actually started a climb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR WITH HIS FO'S NAV PROB, THE PLT DOES NOT LEAVE ALT WHEN CLRED.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO 13000 FT FROM 10000 FT (LEVEL) AND A TURN TO INTERCEPT THE AIRWAY. I HAD THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED AND THOUGHT I PUSHED THE FLT LEVEL CHANGE BUTTON AND LOOKED OVER TO SEE THE EXPERIENCED COPLT HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE CORRECT BEARING TO THE STATION BECAUSE HE THOUGHT ACCORDING TO HIS TRAINING AT OUR COMPANY AND THE AMBIGUOUS MANUAL. I SAID NO, THAT'S THE WRONG BEARING. EVEN THOUGH THAT'S WHAT'S PRINTED ON THE CHART FOR THE AIRWAY, IT'S TOO FAR AWAY AND SO IT DOESN'T OVERLAY THE FIX ON THE AIRWAY BEHIND US. ABOUT THIS TIME, CTR CALLED US WITH THE SAME CLRNC TO CLB, AND WE BOTH NOTICED WE WERE STILL AT 10000 FT. I LET THE DISTR OF NAV KEEP ME FROM MAKING SURE THE ACFT ACTUALLY STARTED A CLB.

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.