Medium large transport type aircraft descending. Altitude overshot. Recovered.

Attributes
ACN	112884
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : trm
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	112884
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This is the second occurrence of an altitude deviation in 3 days with this captain. At 32,000', I called out 32 for 33 and he repeated 32 for 33. A F/a entered the cockpit shortly thereafter and asked the captain if he would like something to drink. I grabbed the yoke at FL330 and yelled once again to check altitude. We went to 33,300 then down to 33,000. Nothing was said by ATC. The captain said he forgot this series aircraft didn't level off by itself. Several times on this series of flts he turned on the autoplt but failed to select altitude hold. He blames it on switching between 200 to 300 series. We have all versions of this aircraft from 100's to 300 EFIS and we are required to fly all of them. This is short sighted on the company's part. These widely different aircraft 200 to 300 need to be separate types. This doesn't excuse the inattentiveness of the crew, but it sure is a contributing factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TYPE ACFT DESCENDING. ALT OVERSHOT. RECOVERED.

Narrative: THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF AN ALT DEVIATION IN 3 DAYS WITH THIS CAPT. AT 32,000', I CALLED OUT 32 FOR 33 AND HE REPEATED 32 FOR 33. A F/A ENTERED THE COCKPIT SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO DRINK. I GRABBED THE YOKE AT FL330 AND YELLED ONCE AGAIN TO CHECK ALT. WE WENT TO 33,300 THEN DOWN TO 33,000. NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC. THE CAPT SAID HE FORGOT THIS SERIES ACFT DIDN'T LEVEL OFF BY ITSELF. SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS SERIES OF FLTS HE TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT BUT FAILED TO SELECT ALT HOLD. HE BLAMES IT ON SWITCHING BETWEEN 200 TO 300 SERIES. WE HAVE ALL VERSIONS OF THIS ACFT FROM 100'S TO 300 EFIS AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO FLY ALL OF THEM. THIS IS SHORT SIGHTED ON THE COMPANY'S PART. THESE WIDELY DIFFERENT ACFT 200 TO 300 NEED TO BE SEPARATE TYPES. THIS DOESN'T EXCUSE THE INATTENTIVENESS OF THE CREW, BUT IT SURE IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.