Narrative:

We were inbound on the quail 3 arrival to apa. We had been cleared to cross quail at 16000 ft MSL and 250 KTS. After leveling at 16000 ft MSL, crew experienced moderate to severe chop and mountain wave activity. The autoplt was on turbulence mode to dampen the correction for comfort. While climbing through 16200 ft MSL, crew realized that the WX conditions exceeded the autoplt limitations and began correction inputs. Climbing through 16500 ft MSL, I realized that my senior co-captain's inputs would not resolve the problem and selected 'off' of the autoplt. I then ordered he gain control of the aircraft at 16700 ft MSL. (I would have taken control at this point.) he obtained control and immediately started a descent to 16000 ft MSL. I then explained to denver our situation. Stratus and tiny cumulus clouds were en route. No signs of ventricular clouds. SIGMET 'V2' for occasional severe turbulence below FL220, standing up- and downdrafts vicinity mountains was issued, so we were prewarned. We were flying co-capts on our first trip together. Not knowing each other's experience and I being the junior captain, made this a touchy issue. I would have taken control at 16300 ft ms. With any of my first officer's. I assume this captain's experience was low. CRM issues exist with 2 capts, as you can clearly see. The only way to correct this problem would have been: immediate disengagement of autoplt and power levers to idle. Fortunately no other planes were affected by our WX induced altitude error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HAD ALT EXCURSION IN A LR-60 WHEN ENCOUNTERING MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY AND TURB NEAR DEN, CO.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND ON THE QUAIL 3 ARR TO APA. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS QUAIL AT 16000 FT MSL AND 250 KTS. AFTER LEVELING AT 16000 FT MSL, CREW EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE CHOP AND MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. THE AUTOPLT WAS ON TURB MODE TO DAMPEN THE CORRECTION FOR COMFORT. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 16200 FT MSL, CREW REALIZED THAT THE WX CONDITIONS EXCEEDED THE AUTOPLT LIMITATIONS AND BEGAN CORRECTION INPUTS. CLBING THROUGH 16500 FT MSL, I REALIZED THAT MY SENIOR CO-CAPT'S INPUTS WOULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROB AND SELECTED 'OFF' OF THE AUTOPLT. I THEN ORDERED HE GAIN CTL OF THE ACFT AT 16700 FT MSL. (I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL AT THIS POINT.) HE OBTAINED CTL AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSCNT TO 16000 FT MSL. I THEN EXPLAINED TO DENVER OUR SIT. STRATUS AND TINY CUMULUS CLOUDS WERE ENRTE. NO SIGNS OF VENTRICULAR CLOUDS. SIGMET 'V2' FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURB BELOW FL220, STANDING UP- AND DOWNDRAFTS VICINITY MOUNTAINS WAS ISSUED, SO WE WERE PREWARNED. WE WERE FLYING CO-CAPTS ON OUR FIRST TRIP TOGETHER. NOT KNOWING EACH OTHER'S EXPERIENCE AND I BEING THE JUNIOR CAPT, MADE THIS A TOUCHY ISSUE. I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL AT 16300 FT MS. WITH ANY OF MY FO'S. I ASSUME THIS CAPT'S EXPERIENCE WAS LOW. CRM ISSUES EXIST WITH 2 CAPTS, AS YOU CAN CLRLY SEE. THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THIS PROB WOULD HAVE BEEN: IMMEDIATE DISENGAGEMENT OF AUTOPLT AND PWR LEVERS TO IDLE. FORTUNATELY NO OTHER PLANES WERE AFFECTED BY OUR WX INDUCED ALT ERROR.

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.