A B737-700 FLT EXPERIENCES AN AUTOFLT SYS FAILURE ON CLBOUT IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative

DURING HGS (HEADS UP GUIDANCE SYS) TKOF (CURRENCY) HUD (HEADS UP DISPLAY) GAVE UNUSUAL PITCH AND ROLL COMMANDS. DURING CLB TO 16000 FT AND HDG DIRECT LNAV HPW; CREW NOTICED ACFT CONTINUING TO ROLL R EVEN THOUGH LNAV WAS SELECTED AND DISPLAYED. DISENGAGED AUTOPLT AND ROLLED BACK TO HDG VIA VOR TO HPW. ON SECOND ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE LNAV; CREW NOTICED FMC HAD ONLY 1 FIX DISPLAYED AND HAD DROPPED ALL OTHER FIXES. MANUALLY INPUT HPW AND EXECUTED AND IMMEDIATELY ACFT BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY FROM THE FIX. ACFT WAS JUST APCHING 16000 FT ACQUIRED MODE WAS DISPLAYED AND AUTOPLT ENGAGED. APPROX 100 FT FROM LEVELOFF AND DURING PWR REDUCTION; ACFT BEGAN A RATHER AGGRESSIVE CLB. DISENGAGED AUTOPLT AND WENT TO STANDBY INSTS AS RTE PAGE WAS BLANK AND ALL FLT DIRECTOR INFO LOST. REQUESTED VECTORS AND ASKED DEADHEADING CREW MEMBER TO COME TO FLT DECK TO ASSIST CREW. SLOWED ACFT TO ALLOW FOR MORE TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT PROBS AND EXECUTED COMPANY PROCS APCH INTO BWI. MAINT DISCOVERED FAULTS ON STABILIZER TRIM RELAYS. COMPLETED FULL ALIGNMENT OF IRS AND COMPLETED MEL FOR AUTOPLT. MY FO AND I BOTH FEEL THAT HAVING ANOTHER CREW MEMBER AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WAS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL. IT ALLOWED US TO CONCENTRATE ON FLYING THE ACFT AND TROUBLESHOOTING SYS WHILE THE NORMAL DUTIES OF RETRIEVING ATIS; PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS; DISPATCH AND MAINT COMS AND QRH REFERRALS WERE PERFORMED BY THIS DEADHEADING CREW MEMBER. WE BOTH FEEL THIS PRESENCE FURTHER ENHANCED SAFETY. THE ACFT WE FLY ARE SO RELIABLE; WE SELDOM NEED TO TRANSITION TO STANDBY INSTS AND IT CAN BE CHALLENGING IN IMC CONDITIONS WITH MULTIPLE FAILURES. I FEEL THAT OUR TRAINING EVENTS SHOULD AT LEAST TOUCH ON STANDBY INST FLYING. I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT TO HAVE DECLARED AN EMER AND WILL DO SO IF A SIMILAR SIT OCCURS IN MY FLYING CAREER.