Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 30000; Flight Crew Type 50
Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors
Cleared to FL310; as we approached FL310 it was obvious the aircraft was not going to level. While leveling we overshot the altitude by several hundred feet. I called Center and the Controller said to continue climb to FL330. When I looked at the altitude window it was set at 31;800. We were warned in the simulator that this system was hyper-sensitive. If you set it and brush your finger on the knob as you pull off it will change the altitude. On IOE it was again brought up and the company has put out two bulletins regarding the altitude select window. Yet it still got me. The First Officer I was flying with said he had seen this several times since he has been on the airplane. He demonstrated how you could push the knob in to 'recruise' the FMC and if you put the slightest side pressure on the knob it will change the selected altitude. I just finished 15 years flying the B777 and never once saw anything like this occur. I believe Boeing has a serious design fault with this system that needs to be addressed.
B787 Captain reported the altitude alert set knob is too sensitive and easy to mis-set.