A320 FLC OVERSHOT CLB ALT.

Narrative

WE WERE ON ASSIGNED HDG 270 DEGS; CLBING SLOWLY TO 13000 FT WHILE ACCELERATING. TYPICAL SLOPPY A320 AUTOPLT AND THROTTLES OVERSHOT SPD THEN INITIATED RAPID CLB. WITH ALT SHOWING ON FMA; ATC SAID 'ACR X (GARBLED) 270 CONTACT CTR ON XXX.XX.' FO RESPONDED 'ROGER; CLRED TO FL270; CTR ON XXX.XX' AND IMMEDIATELY SPUN ALT WINDOW TO FL270. I WAS PF. I THOUGHT FL270 ALT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT; AND DID NOT CONFIRM THE CHANGE. I REQUESTED HE RETURN WINDOW TO 13000 FT AND VERIFY ALT WITH ATC. HE DID BOTH IMMEDIATELY; BUT THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. AUTOPLT HAD REVERTED TO RATE CLB AT 2600 FPM. I HAD TO DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY NOSE OVER AS RAPIDLY AS I THOUGHT SAFE WITH FLT ATTENDANTS UP IN THE AFT END OF THE ACFT. WE ONLY GOT TO 13300 FT AND NO LOSS OF SEPARATION TOOK PLACE THAT I KNOW OF. IT TOOK OVER 1 MIN AND 3 OR 4 TRIES TO GET AN ALT VERIFICATION FROM CTLR; 13000 FT. WE HAD BEEN TOLD MAINTAIN 270 DEG (HDG?) THIS WAS A CLASSIC CASE OF IMPROPER CTLR HEARBACK WITH NO CORRECTION TO PLTS. THIS WAS COMPLICATED BY SOP'S THAT ALLOWED AN AUTOFLT SYS THAT IS DELIBERATELY SLOPPY BY DESIGN AND QUIRKY IN OP TO SHOW SOME OF ITS WORST TRAITS IN RAPID SUCCESSION.