@Noske
Thank you for setting the context prior to AP disconnect of PF anxiety and a desire to climb above the weather. So apparently the PF was already biased to climb before AP disconnect. In stress such bias can be amplified.
That said why would he not verbalize his action to increase flight level to his colleague when he initiated the zoom climb. My own view is that it was a conscious action and a failure to verbalize/communicate to PNF rather than a subconscious.
Last edited by xcitation; 20th Jun 2014 at 17:32.