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Captain of air carrier large transport aircraft inadvertently descended below assigned altitude during distraction of WX, monitoring TCASII, and looking for other traffic while in a holding pattern.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 215084 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199207 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zob |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14300 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zob |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 215084 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 215083 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| 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:
Flight was assigned holding prior to crx VOR at 22000. Several other aircraft also holding at various altitudes. During the first turn, we were assigned 2 lower altitudes and thunderstorms were building in hold area. During second turn, received 2 more altitudes -- to 15000 ft. Flight was dispatched with no alternate and no holding fuel. Forecast VFR at cle -- so was busy with fuel computation and looking for WX at another airport, and 'in range' checklist. First officer was monitoring TCASII and WX radar for traffic and storms building. Captain flying aircraft descended through 15000 ft watching TCASII and other aircraft visually in the holding pattern and missed altitude alert until called by ATC. Captain is unfamiliar with TCASII having not flown for last 15 months. (20 hours 3 days ago) and attention was diverted -- never received TA from TCASII.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF ACR LGT ACFT INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING DISTR OF WX, MONITORING TCASII, AND LOOKING FOR OTHER TFC WHILE IN A HOLDING PATTERN.
Narrative: FLT WAS ASSIGNED HOLDING PRIOR TO CRX VOR AT 22000. SEVERAL OTHER ACFT ALSO HOLDING AT VARIOUS ALTS. DURING THE FIRST TURN, WE WERE ASSIGNED 2 LOWER ALTS AND TSTMS WERE BUILDING IN HOLD AREA. DURING SECOND TURN, RECEIVED 2 MORE ALTS -- TO 15000 FT. FLT WAS DISPATCHED WITH NO ALTERNATE AND NO HOLDING FUEL. FORECAST VFR AT CLE -- SO WAS BUSY WITH FUEL COMPUTATION AND LOOKING FOR WX AT ANOTHER ARPT, AND 'IN RANGE' CHKLIST. FO WAS MONITORING TCASII AND WX RADAR FOR TFC AND STORMS BUILDING. CAPT FLYING ACFT DSNDED THROUGH 15000 FT WATCHING TCASII AND OTHER ACFT VISUALLY IN THE HOLDING PATTERN AND MISSED ALT ALERT UNTIL CALLED BY ATC. CAPT IS UNFAMILIAR WITH TCASII HAVING NOT FLOWN FOR LAST 15 MONTHS. (20 HRS 3 DAYS AGO) AND ATTN WAS DIVERTED -- NEVER RECEIVED TA FROM TCASII.
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.