<< >> NASA ASRS Report 223218, October 1992

Captain of air carrier large transport aircraft was distracted by a bird strike and overshot assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	223218
Time
Date	199210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	223218
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	223462
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Just prior to level off at 5000 ft we had a bird strike underneath the nose (or thereabout). The captain, who was flying, immediately asked the so how the packs were, anticipating a pack overheat due to ingesting the bird. No overheat developed and all other indications were normal. Unfortunately, due to our interest in the condition of the aircraft, the altitude was never captured, and we gradually climbed to 5300 ft before catching the deviation, and 5400 ft before stopping the climb and beginning a descent. As this happened ATC cleared us to 17000. No other aircraft were visible in the area. ATC did not comment on the altitude. The bird picked a bad time to play chicken. The separation of duty broke down in our zeal to catch a potential problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR LGT ACFT WAS DISTRACTED BY A BIRD STRIKE AND OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF AT 5000 FT WE HAD A BIRD STRIKE UNDERNEATH THE NOSE (OR THEREABOUT). THE CAPT, WHO WAS FLYING, IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE SO HOW THE PACKS WERE, ANTICIPATING A PACK OVERHEAT DUE TO INGESTING THE BIRD. NO OVERHEAT DEVELOPED AND ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO OUR INTEREST IN THE CONDITION OF THE ACFT, THE ALT WAS NEVER CAPTURED, AND WE GRADUALLY CLBED TO 5300 FT BEFORE CATCHING THE DEV, AND 5400 FT BEFORE STOPPING THE CLB AND BEGINNING A DSCNT. AS THIS HAPPENED ATC CLRED US TO 17000. NO OTHER ACFT WERE VISIBLE IN THE AREA. ATC DID NOT COMMENT ON THE ALT. THE BIRD PICKED A BAD TIME TO PLAY CHICKEN. THE SEPARATION OF DUTY BROKE DOWN IN OUR ZEAL TO CATCH A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.

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.