Citation V/Ultra/Encore (C560)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Time Pressure; Workload
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport; Airspace Structure
On RUUDY 4 departure; sometime after flap retraction; I called for autopilot engagement. I noted indications on the PFD that the autopilot was engaged. I then selected Vertical Speed (VS) and decreased the rate of climb. The PFD switched from VS to ASEL as we approached 1;500 FT MSL. I then noted that the vertical speed and pitch drastically increased. I disconnected the autopilot and stopped the climb in a positive manner with considerations for passenger comfort; and returned the aircraft to 1;500 FT. The maximum altitude was 1;640 FT (1;500 mandatory crossing altitude at WENTZ). There was no comment from New York Departure about the deviation. The autopilot functioned normally for the remainder of the flight; except for a tendency to not level off smoothly when climbing at rates great than 1;000 FPM. With the time compression on the initial stages of the RUUDY 4 departure; I should have called for the autopilot engagement earlier. Most pilots engage their own autopilot; rather than call for the pilot not flying to engage it. This may have caught the pilot not flying off guard and delayed engagement; as he was busy with radio calls.
A CE-560 Captain reported the autopilot failed to capture the TEB RUUDY 4 WENTZ constraint so it was disconnected and the aircraft returned to 1;500 FT.