An A300 cargo flight leaves its assigned altitude of 13000 ft while accelerating to normal speed 30 ...

Attributes
ACN	478640
Time
Date	200007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ffu.vortac
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 28
ASRS Report	478640
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain (PNF), first officer (PF, hand flying, autoplt off). Departing cvg, we were given heading 360 degrees and an altitude of 13000 ft with a speed restr of 250 KTS. After leveling off momentarily, we were given 'normal speed,' right turn direct ffo (patterson VOR) and a frequency change. As PNF, I changed navigation #1 and #2 to ffo and on the FMS selected ffo then changed the frequency on communication #1. While my head was down, I heard the engines 'come up' and thought the first officer was only accelerating from 250 KTS to normal cruise speed. When I looked up we were ina climb, we had reached 13300-13400 ft and the alerter had gone off. We corrected quickly. The first officer said he thought we were cleared higher. We checked on with center, nothing was said. I recently checked out (in this plane) the first officer 1 yr ago and seemed very competent (and is). He made a mistake. I maybe put too much trust in him, but I think it was more that I had other tasks momentarily to prevent me from backing him up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 CARGO FLT LEAVES ITS ASSIGNED ALT OF 13000 FT WHILE ACCELERATING TO NORMAL SPD 30 MI WSW OF FFO, OH.

Narrative: CAPT (PNF), FO (PF, HAND FLYING, AUTOPLT OFF). DEPARTING CVG, WE WERE GIVEN HDG 360 DEGS AND AN ALT OF 13000 FT WITH A SPD RESTR OF 250 KTS. AFTER LEVELING OFF MOMENTARILY, WE WERE GIVEN 'NORMAL SPD,' R TURN DIRECT FFO (PATTERSON VOR) AND A FREQ CHANGE. AS PNF, I CHANGED NAV #1 AND #2 TO FFO AND ON THE FMS SELECTED FFO THEN CHANGED THE FREQ ON COM #1. WHILE MY HEAD WAS DOWN, I HEARD THE ENGS 'COME UP' AND THOUGHT THE FO WAS ONLY ACCELERATING FROM 250 KTS TO NORMAL CRUISE SPD. WHEN I LOOKED UP WE WERE INA CLB, WE HAD REACHED 13300-13400 FT AND THE ALERTER HAD GONE OFF. WE CORRECTED QUICKLY. THE FO SAID HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED HIGHER. WE CHKED ON WITH CTR, NOTHING WAS SAID. I RECENTLY CHKED OUT (IN THIS PLANE) THE FO 1 YR AGO AND SEEMED VERY COMPETENT (AND IS). HE MADE A MISTAKE. I MAYBE PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN HIM, BUT I THINK IT WAS MORE THAT I HAD OTHER TASKS MOMENTARILY TO PREVENT ME FROM BACKING HIM UP.

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.

An A300 cargo flight leaves its assigned altitude of 13000 ft while accelerating to normal speed 30 mi wsw of ffo, oh.