During climb; B737-700 captain fails to level at 13000 as cleared.

Attributes
ACN	727068
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ptw.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 207 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	727068
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level at 12000 ft talking to ZNY; when we were given a climb clearance to 13000 ft. I was using the autoplt in LNAV and altitude hold approaching ptw VOR. I deselected altitude hold and pitched up to a 1500 FPM climb using about 12 percent under climb N1 for the power setting in course wheel pitch. I looked at something on the engine instruments and did not monitor the leveloff. I heard the altitude warning at 13300 ft and pulled back the power and pushed over the nose. The maximum altitude was 13500 ft. Center asked about our altitude as I was correcting back to 13000 ft. The autoplt did not leveloff. Company maintenance did a bite check on the autoplt and no relevant malfunctions were found. Monitor the autoplt better and don't relax as much after the challenges of a flight with WX; deice and a reroute.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING CLIMB; B737-700 CAPTAIN FAILS TO LEVEL AT 13000 AS CLEARED.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 12000 FT TALKING TO ZNY; WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A CLB CLRNC TO 13000 FT. I WAS USING THE AUTOPLT IN LNAV AND ALT HOLD APCHING PTW VOR. I DESELECTED ALT HOLD AND PITCHED UP TO A 1500 FPM CLB USING ABOUT 12 PERCENT UNDER CLB N1 FOR THE PWR SETTING IN COURSE WHEEL PITCH. I LOOKED AT SOMETHING ON THE ENG INSTS AND DID NOT MONITOR THE LEVELOFF. I HEARD THE ALT WARNING AT 13300 FT AND PULLED BACK THE PWR AND PUSHED OVER THE NOSE. THE MAX ALT WAS 13500 FT. CTR ASKED ABOUT OUR ALT AS I WAS CORRECTING BACK TO 13000 FT. THE AUTOPLT DID NOT LEVELOFF. COMPANY MAINT DID A BITE CHK ON THE AUTOPLT AND NO RELEVANT MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. MONITOR THE AUTOPLT BETTER AND DON'T RELAX AS MUCH AFTER THE CHALLENGES OF A FLT WITH WX; DEICE AND A REROUTE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.