A300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Human Factors
After takeoff the First Officer (Pilot Flying) commanded 'Slats Retract; After Takeoff Checklist'. After confirming the speed; I reached to retract the slats. The slat handle was extremely stiff which made it very difficult to retract them. It took me several attempts and eventually two hands to retract the slats. During the same time I had a radio call hand-off from Departure to Center. After doing the After Takeoff Check and checking in with Center; I noticed the altitude was climbing through approximately 5;200 FT. Since; our assigned attitude was 5;000 feet; I notified the First Officer of the deviation; which he immediately started to correct. The maximum deviation was approximately 5;400 FT and only lasted a few seconds. We leveled normally at 5;000 FT and continued with the flight uneventfully and with no call from ATC because of the altitude deviation. I know the combination of trying to retract the slats; doing the After Takeoff Checklist and making radio calls while flying the departure; was a big distraction for both me and the First Officer and contributed to this deviation. I know if [I] and the First Officer had not been distracted by the Slat/Flap handle that this altitude deviation would not have happened. I have had other instances where the Slat/Flap handle has been difficult to move because it was too stiff or tight to move. I think if this problem can be addressed by Maintenance; situations like this would not occur on takeoff or landing.
A Captain reports about the difficulty he encountered when he tried to move the Slat/Flap handle to the retract position after takeoff on an A300 aircraft. After several attempts and using two hands to move the handle; he realized they would climb through their assigned altitude. Pilot also noted previous instances of Slat/Flap handles being too stiff or too tight to move.