Large transport flight crew exceeds altitude restr on published departure.

Attributes
ACN	567341
Time
Date	200212
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2750
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2000 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	567341
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	567355
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was flying. Departed ewr, runway 4L, via the ewr 7 departure. The departure calls for a 060 degree heading until the 4 DME, leveloff at 2500 ft MSL, and a turn to 290 degrees. During climb, I questioned first officer about the 060 degree heading. We were on a 050 degree heading. First officer initiated a turn to the left instead of right. Just about that time we were given a frequency change to departure. As I was changing frequencys, the first officer said something to the effect of 'oh darn.' I looked up to see us climbing through 2650 ft MSL. In concert with the first officer, I pulled the thrust levers back and pushed forward on the yoke. The highest we climbed was 2750 ft MSL before returning to 2500 ft MSL. I then called departure and was given a 290 degree heading. Controller never questioned our altitude. Supplemental information from acn 567355: on climb out during the ewr 7 departure for runway 4L, I momentarily climbed 250 ft above the prescribed altitude of 2500 ft MSL while trying to level off. I believe the problem was caused by the busy combination of a low altitude hold down, a noise abatement heading correction with a subsequent (over 90 degrees) left turn at 4 DME combined with the distraction of a frequency change during this maneuver. Although limited airspace is an issue, perhaps relief from multiple headings and/or low altitude hold-downs could remedy future problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE TRANSPORT FLC EXCEEDS ALT RESTR ON PUBLISHED DEP.

Narrative: FO WAS FLYING. DEPARTED EWR, RWY 4L, VIA THE EWR 7 DEP. THE DEP CALLS FOR A 060 DEG HDG UNTIL THE 4 DME, LEVELOFF AT 2500 FT MSL, AND A TURN TO 290 DEGS. DURING CLB, I QUESTIONED FO ABOUT THE 060 DEG HDG. WE WERE ON A 050 DEG HDG. FO INITIATED A TURN TO THE L INSTEAD OF R. JUST ABOUT THAT TIME WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO DEP. AS I WAS CHANGING FREQS, THE FO SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'OH DARN.' I LOOKED UP TO SEE US CLBING THROUGH 2650 FT MSL. IN CONCERT WITH THE FO, I PULLED THE THRUST LEVERS BACK AND PUSHED FORWARD ON THE YOKE. THE HIGHEST WE CLBED WAS 2750 FT MSL BEFORE RETURNING TO 2500 FT MSL. I THEN CALLED DEP AND WAS GIVEN A 290 DEG HDG. CTLR NEVER QUESTIONED OUR ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 567355: ON CLBOUT DURING THE EWR 7 DEP FOR RWY 4L, I MOMENTARILY CLBED 250 FT ABOVE THE PRESCRIBED ALT OF 2500 FT MSL WHILE TRYING TO LEVEL OFF. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY THE BUSY COMBINATION OF A LOW ALT HOLD DOWN, A NOISE ABATEMENT HDG CORRECTION WITH A SUBSEQUENT (OVER 90 DEGS) L TURN AT 4 DME COMBINED WITH THE DISTR OF A FREQ CHANGE DURING THIS MANEUVER. ALTHOUGH LIMITED AIRSPACE IS AN ISSUE, PERHAPS RELIEF FROM MULTIPLE HDGS AND/OR LOW ALT HOLD-DOWNS COULD REMEDY FUTURE PROBS.

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.