Altitude bust. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	137002
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27700 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	137002
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We left holding pattern west of alb and were descending from 330 to 280 for future hold at gdm. Controller recleared us to 280 at which time we both saw we were 200-300' below 280. We didn't hear our warning that we were approaching 280 due to our altitude set being 'bumped'. In looking back, captain's hand was on vertical speed panel immediately to left of altitude set knob. My hand 'first officer' was at same time on VOR panel just to right of altitude set knob. When controller recleared us to 280 we both saw 270 in altitude window. Somehow one of us bumped knob to 270. The altitude set is very sensitive. Contributing factors: long day. First leg lgb direct ont. Some WX, lots of VFR traffic in lax area. Ont direct stl. Delay for release in stl for bos and holding into bos. Also I was on my 3RD flight as first officer. Just lost my captain seat due to unfair merger. Had not flown first officer in 5 yrs. No first officer familiarization to right seat. Captain to first officer very awkward. Captain stressed with personal problems. Myself stressed due to hugh pay cuts and unfair seat loss due unfair merger. I guess I need to find a way to get problems out of cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: WE LEFT HOLDING PATTERN W OF ALB AND WERE DESCENDING FROM 330 TO 280 FOR FUTURE HOLD AT GDM. CTLR RECLEARED US TO 280 AT WHICH TIME WE BOTH SAW WE WERE 200-300' BELOW 280. WE DIDN'T HEAR OUR WARNING THAT WE WERE APCHING 280 DUE TO OUR ALT SET BEING 'BUMPED'. IN LOOKING BACK, CAPT'S HAND WAS ON VERTICAL SPEED PANEL IMMEDIATELY TO LEFT OF ALT SET KNOB. MY HAND 'FO' WAS AT SAME TIME ON VOR PANEL JUST TO RIGHT OF ALT SET KNOB. WHEN CTLR RECLEARED US TO 280 WE BOTH SAW 270 IN ALT WINDOW. SOMEHOW ONE OF US BUMPED KNOB TO 270. THE ALT SET IS VERY SENSITIVE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LONG DAY. FIRST LEG LGB DIRECT ONT. SOME WX, LOTS OF VFR TFC IN LAX AREA. ONT DIRECT STL. DELAY FOR RELEASE IN STL FOR BOS AND HOLDING INTO BOS. ALSO I WAS ON MY 3RD FLT AS F/O. JUST LOST MY CAPT SEAT DUE TO UNFAIR MERGER. HAD NOT FLOWN F/O IN 5 YRS. NO F/O FAMILIARIZATION TO RIGHT SEAT. CAPT TO F/O VERY AWKWARD. CAPT STRESSED WITH PERSONAL PROBLEMS. MYSELF STRESSED DUE TO HUGH PAY CUTS AND UNFAIR SEAT LOSS DUE UNFAIR MERGER. I GUESS I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET PROBLEMS OUT OF COCKPIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.