Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Speed All Types
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Event took place right after takeoff. I was PF and had manually leveled off at 3;000 MSL using the 'Low Alt Cap' procedure which went as briefed. At this time the PM had called Departure Control and we were issued a climb to 4;000. The PM set 4;000; I confirmed verbally and then commanded VNAV. I continued to manually fly since we were assigned a heading. I had briefed a speed of 200 knots due to being below Class B Airspace and now came to the realization that I had just commanded the aircraft to speed up while we probably weren't high enough yet to legally accelerate. As I held the pitch to hold the airspeed; the altitude alert went off at 4;300 feet. I then clicked off the autothrottle; pulled the thrust to idle and pitched to return to 4;000 feet as the Controller called to remind us to maintain 4;000 feet. We reached 4;500 feet before descending. Flight proceeded without further incident.I had not flown much recently. Reserve lines in my home town had recently materialized and I was enjoying the absence of commuting. I hadn't flown since February with the exception of a PT and upset training in March. I felt that hand flying would be good to help regain proficiency. Our clearance was to fly runway heading for vectors; so I thought this would be a great opportunity. In hindsight I should have waited for a little less busy environment to ease back into it. The FO had flown out of ZZZ1 before and was aware that things could get busy. I should have taken this as a bit of a warning. I could have also thought about how to handle this departure a little more thoroughly. FLCH would have been the better choice in this situation. It would have held 200 knots and commanded a 500 FPM climb. Far more manageable.
I was PM. The Captain was PF. Our initial clearance was 3;000 feet and runway heading. The Captain briefed a low altitude capture using 200 knots as we were under the Class B shelf and relatively light. He briefed the intention to hand fly until we were given the intercept to the initial fix on the departure. The initial level off went well and according to the brief with the Captain hand flying. Were quickly given a new heading and a climb to 4;000; which I read back to ATC and set. The Captain confirmed the altitude and called for VNAV. I watched to confirm the start of the climb; then turned to switch my iPad view to the chart page. I heard the altitude alert; looked back to see the airplane pitched higher than the flight director and realized we were climbing past 4;000. At the same time the Captain disengaged the autothrottles; reduced thrust and pitched to return to 4;000 feet. At this time the Controller called us to tell us she needed us back at 4;000 feet. The altitude was about 4;500 feet. The PF corrected back to 4;000; then were soon given another climb.  Upon debrief we both realized that FLC would have been the better mode to engage as the VNAV reverted to the programmed speed that was too fast for what we were trying to do. The Captain mentioned he increased the pitch to control the speed and that caused us to climb thru the assigned altitude.As we were still in a critical phase of flight; I should have been more vigilant in monitoring the rate of climb; the speed and the vertical mode. If I had; I could of called it out to help the Captain arrest the acceleration and rate of climb in time to avoid the overshoot. I suggest that more emphasis be placed on the use of FLC and also VS mode. We seem to minimize their use as we rely on VNAV so heavily. The call to engage VNAV becomes a reflex. In this scenario; FLC or VS would of been a better mode that would of prevented the increase of speed that in turn contributed to the overshoot.
Air carrier flight crew reported a speed deviation under Class Bravo and then overshooting assigned altitude.  The Captain cited lack of flying as a contributing factor.