United states coast guard mlt altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude.

Attributes
ACN	191123
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j174
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	191123
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan from ecg to coordinates offshore for a law enforcement patrol our aircraft experienced a right fuel transfer pump failure. After taking corrective action, I asked for and received an amended clearance to return to otis angb (fmh) from norfolk approach and subsequently contacted washington center. I had requested FL290 as our final altitude and was leveled off at FL270. We were level at FL270 for a period of time, copilot at the controls, autoplt engaged with altitude and LNAV captured, so I decided to review the flight handbook to insure we had correctly handled the fuel transfer pump failure. While reading, washington center advised traffic 12 O'clock, 20 mi, FL280. I rogered the call and told them we'd be looking. I then proceeded to complete the review of the fuel transfer pump failure and as I reached up to check the position of the transfer pump switch I noticed our altitude at FL275 and climbing, as I reached for the controls, center asked us to confirm our altitude, I replied we were at FL274 and descending to FL270 and that we had the traffic in sight. I then asked the copilot what he was doing. He stated he didn't know and that he thought center wanted us at FL280. However after the flight, he had no recall of what he had said or heard or if he had initiated the climb. Subsequent maintenance checks of the autoplt system revealed no discrepancies. I am at a loss as to how this incident actually occurred and can only assume that the copilot thought center wanted us at FL280 and initiated the climb without confirming the altitude. Thankfully the center controller was alert and took corrective action to avert a disaster. I can't thank him enough! I also reviewed my handling of cockpit coordination and found it lacking in directing individual tasks, I had assumed the copilot was flying the airplane only to realize he was engrossed in the fuel system along with me. Classic failure of cockpit coordination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNITED STATES COAST GUARD MLT ALTDEV EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ECG TO COORDINATES OFFSHORE FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROL OUR ACFT EXPERIENCED A R FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE. AFTER TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION, I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED AN AMENDED CLRNC TO RETURN TO OTIS ANGB (FMH) FROM NORFOLK APCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED WASHINGTON CENTER. I HAD REQUESTED FL290 AS OUR FINAL ALT AND WAS LEVELED OFF AT FL270. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL270 FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, COPLT AT THE CTLS, AUTOPLT ENGAGED WITH ALT AND LNAV CAPTURED, SO I DECIDED TO REVIEW THE FLT HANDBOOK TO INSURE WE HAD CORRECTLY HANDLED THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE. WHILE READING, WASHINGTON CENTER ADVISED TFC 12 O'CLOCK, 20 MI, FL280. I ROGERED THE CALL AND TOLD THEM WE'D BE LOOKING. I THEN PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REVIEW OF THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE AND AS I REACHED UP TO CHK THE POS OF THE TRANSFER PUMP SWITCH I NOTICED OUR ALT AT FL275 AND CLBING, AS I REACHED FOR THE CTLS, CENTER ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT, I REPLIED WE WERE AT FL274 AND DSNDING TO FL270 AND THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. I THEN ASKED THE COPLT WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE STATED HE DIDN'T KNOW AND THAT HE THOUGHT CENTER WANTED US AT FL280. HOWEVER AFTER THE FLT, HE HAD NO RECALL OF WHAT HE HAD SAID OR HEARD OR IF HE HAD INITIATED THE CLB. SUBSEQUENT MAINT CHKS OF THE AUTOPLT SYS REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO HOW THIS INCIDENT ACTUALLY OCCURRED AND CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE COPLT THOUGHT CENTER WANTED US AT FL280 AND INITIATED THE CLB WITHOUT CONFIRMING THE ALT. THANKFULLY THE CENTER CTLR WAS ALERT AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO AVERT A DISASTER. I CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH! I ALSO REVIEWED MY HANDLING OF COCKPIT COORD AND FOUND IT LACKING IN DIRECTING INDIVIDUAL TASKS, I HAD ASSUMED THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE ONLY TO REALIZE HE WAS ENGROSSED IN THE FUEL SYS ALONG WITH ME. CLASSIC FAILURE OF COCKPIT COORD.

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.