MD82 ALT OVERSHOT N-90.

Narrative

ON FEB/THU/99; FLT X WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER FAR PART 121; EWR AND FLL. I WAS FO AND PF ON THIS FLT AND HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO LEVEL OFF AT 6000 FT AFTER DEP. I WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE ON THE INITIAL DEP FOR PLT PROFICIENCY; AND HAD INTERCEPTED THE OUTBOUND COURSE ON THE SID. THE SID BEING A FAIRLY COMPLICATED ONE; (NEWARK 6; WHITE TRANSITION). I HAD BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH HORIZ NAV AND FAILED TO ANTICIPATE THE APCHING LEVELOFF AT 6000 FT MSL UNTIL I WAS ALREADY PASSING 6200 FT. I IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED THE CLB AND DSNDED BACK DOWN TO THE ASSIGNED ALT; BUT NOT BEFORE A TOTAL DEV OF 300-400 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT HAD OCCURRED. STANDARD PROC AT OUR AIRLINE CALLS FOR THE PNF TO ADVISE THE PF ALOUD WHEN WE ARE WITHIN 1000 FT OF THE ASSIGNED LEVELOFF ALT SO THAT THE PF IS AWARE OF THE APCHING VERT CLRNC LIMIT; AND CAN BEGIN SLOWING HIS VERT RATE TO AVOID AN ALTDEV. IN THIS CASE I RECEIVED NO ALERT OF ANY KIND FROM THE PNF OF THE APCHING ALT ASSIGNMENT. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT IT; HE REMARKED THAT IT WAS MY LEG AND THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ADHERE TO ANY AND ALL CLRNCS. THIS WAS DEFINITELY A CASE OF A BREAKDOWN IN CREW COORD AND COM; WHICH CAUSED AN ALTDEV OF 300-400 FT. QUITE SENSELESS; INDEED.