Citationjet (C525/C526) - CJ I / II / III / IV
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 5200; Flight Crew Type 2500
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
I was departing TEB to the first waypoint; WENTZ; on the RUUDY 3 [4] departure. At WENTZ I leveled out at the assigned altitude of 1;500 FT and activated the autopilot. However it did not turn on and I proceeded with the normal procedure of pressing the autopilot disconnect; and then attempted to activate the autopilot without success. I then repeated the above; again without success. I then proceeded to fly the aircraft manually but found I had drifted up to about 1;700 FT and proceeded to return to 1;500 FT. At this point I was about midway between WENTZ and the 2 mile distant TASCA waypoint. When I reached TASCA I climbed to 2;000 FT as required. About 5 minutes later I was able to activate the autopilot and proceeded without incident. Upon reflection; upon failure to activate the autopilot; I should have devoted my full attention to maintaining altitude and course instead of working on the autopilot.
C525 Captain approaching WENTZ at 1;500 FT (RUUDY 4 from TEB) attempts to engage the autopilot without success. During this time the altitude drifts up to 1;700 FT prior to WENTZ and is corrected back to 1;500 FT; but TASCA is crossed at 1;500 FT instead of the 2;000 FT published.