Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	147677
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cos airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 15100 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	147677
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was cleared to FL290 to expect FL330. Was given short-cut vector to be VOR on route; but no change in altitude on up to FL330 (or 310 on occasion). Being preoccupied with navigation considerations and having expected higher, continued through FL290 for FL310. As luck (bad luck) would have it, the altitude reminder/warning system did not give the aural horn when went through 29300+/- 100 and the warning light was located just under the glareshield out of my 6' 1' tall view. The next call we had from center was to clear us to FL310, then a question as to our previously assigned altitude, to which our answer was 'roger, cleared to FL310.' surely the controller had realized we had passed FL290 by 1000' but when we did not respond and since there was apparently no conflict, he did not pursue the issue. Upon further checking of our altitude reminder/warning system, it was in fact intermittently inoperative in both the aural and/or visibility warning functions, and subsequently repaired.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: WAS CLRED TO FL290 TO EXPECT FL330. WAS GIVEN SHORT-CUT VECTOR TO BE VOR ON RTE; BUT NO CHANGE IN ALT ON UP TO FL330 (OR 310 ON OCCASION). BEING PREOCCUPIED WITH NAV CONSIDERATIONS AND HAVING EXPECTED HIGHER, CONTINUED THROUGH FL290 FOR FL310. AS LUCK (BAD LUCK) WOULD HAVE IT, THE ALT REMINDER/WARNING SYS DID NOT GIVE THE AURAL HORN WHEN WENT THROUGH 29300+/- 100 AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS LOCATED JUST UNDER THE GLARESHIELD OUT OF MY 6' 1' TALL VIEW. THE NEXT CALL WE HAD FROM CTR WAS TO CLR US TO FL310, THEN A QUESTION AS TO OUR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT, TO WHICH OUR ANSWER WAS 'ROGER, CLRED TO FL310.' SURELY THE CTLR HAD REALIZED WE HAD PASSED FL290 BY 1000' BUT WHEN WE DID NOT RESPOND AND SINCE THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO CONFLICT, HE DID NOT PURSUE THE ISSUE. UPON FURTHER CHKING OF OUR ALT REMINDER/WARNING SYS, IT WAS IN FACT INTERMITTENTLY INOP IN BOTH THE AURAL AND/OR VIS WARNING FUNCTIONS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED.

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.