B737 overshoots assigned altitude departing lax with sct TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	614934
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sxc.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : bwi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Make Model Name	Beechcraft, Beech Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	614934
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	615432
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : overrode automation
Miss Distance	horizontal : 991 unspecified : 30000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departure climb to 15000 ft, autoplt engaged. Socal called traffic at 11 O'clock and 16000 ft. While in turn to lax VOR on course and climbing (approximately 250 KTS), first officer alerted captain (flying) of excessive rate (2000 FPM) passing 14000 ft for 15000 ft. Captain manually assisted leveloff, then disengaged autoplt and pushed aircraft over stopping climb at 15500 ft and then corrected back to 15000 ft. No TCASII alert. No comment from controller as we proceeded on to our next city normally. Aircraft was new -700 with winglets with light (50 passenger) load. Climb performance was impressive. I have flown this departure many times and have not had an aircraft fail to automatic level while climbing. I flew 3 more flts without any other autoplt problems. Not sure what caused this 500 ft overshoot. Autoplt was definitely engaged as the disengage alarm was heard. Good crew coordination prevented it from being worse as the plane did not attempt automatic level prior to autoplt disengagement. It is easy to get complacent with 'hal' flying. A reminder that we must always back up 'hal.' question: could this aircraft's performance exceed the autoplt's control parameters?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT DEPARTING LAX WITH SCT TRACON.

Narrative: ON DEP CLB TO 15000 FT, AUTOPLT ENGAGED. SOCAL CALLED TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 16000 FT. WHILE IN TURN TO LAX VOR ON COURSE AND CLBING (APPROX 250 KTS), FO ALERTED CAPT (FLYING) OF EXCESSIVE RATE (2000 FPM) PASSING 14000 FT FOR 15000 FT. CAPT MANUALLY ASSISTED LEVELOFF, THEN DISENGAGED AUTOPLT AND PUSHED ACFT OVER STOPPING CLB AT 15500 FT AND THEN CORRECTED BACK TO 15000 FT. NO TCASII ALERT. NO COMMENT FROM CTLR AS WE PROCEEDED ON TO OUR NEXT CITY NORMALLY. ACFT WAS NEW -700 WITH WINGLETS WITH LIGHT (50 PAX) LOAD. CLB PERFORMANCE WAS IMPRESSIVE. I HAVE FLOWN THIS DEP MANY TIMES AND HAVE NOT HAD AN ACFT FAIL TO AUTO LEVEL WHILE CLBING. I FLEW 3 MORE FLTS WITHOUT ANY OTHER AUTOPLT PROBS. NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS 500 FT OVERSHOOT. AUTOPLT WAS DEFINITELY ENGAGED AS THE DISENGAGE ALARM WAS HEARD. GOOD CREW COORD PREVENTED IT FROM BEING WORSE AS THE PLANE DID NOT ATTEMPT AUTO LEVEL PRIOR TO AUTOPLT DISENGAGEMENT. IT IS EASY TO GET COMPLACENT WITH 'HAL' FLYING. A REMINDER THAT WE MUST ALWAYS BACK UP 'HAL.' QUESTION: COULD THIS ACFT'S PERFORMANCE EXCEED THE AUTOPLT'S CTL PARAMETERS?

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.