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Climbing large transport overshoots assigned altitude. Reporter claims former altitude alert design would have prevented the deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 250021 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199308 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sax airport : lga |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 250021 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| 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:
While climbing out of lga on approach control we were issued a clearance to climb to 15000 ft. As ATC told us to look for traffic on our right side, we inadvertently climbed through 15000 ft. At 15300 ft our altitude alert aural warned us of our error and we leveled off at 15500 ft and returned to 15000 ft. At that time approach also told us again to 'maintain 15000 ft.' I believe the cause and the solution to this problem are very simple: either my air carrier or manufacturer or 'both,' I'm not sure which, have chosen to remove the '900 ft before level off' aural warning in the altitude alert system on the large transport and widebody transport fleet. Rather than warning us of 'hey, you're getting close,' the airplane now only warns us of 'hey, you screwed up!' it is beyond my comprehension why this aural alert was removed and I intend to attempt to use every means to have it reinstalled. Anything NASA can do to expedite this would surely help to make the skies a safe place.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CLBING LGT OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT. RPTR CLAIMS FORMER ALT ALERT DESIGN WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE DEV.
Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF LGA ON APCH CTL WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CLB TO 15000 FT. AS ATC TOLD US TO LOOK FOR TFC ON OUR R SIDE, WE INADVERTENTLY CLBED THROUGH 15000 FT. AT 15300 FT OUR ALT ALERT AURAL WARNED US OF OUR ERROR AND WE LEVELED OFF AT 15500 FT AND RETURNED TO 15000 FT. AT THAT TIME APCH ALSO TOLD US AGAIN TO 'MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' I BELIEVE THE CAUSE AND THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROB ARE VERY SIMPLE: EITHER MY ACR OR MANUFACTURER OR 'BOTH,' I'M NOT SURE WHICH, HAVE CHOSEN TO REMOVE THE '900 FT BEFORE LEVEL OFF' AURAL WARNING IN THE ALT ALERT SYS ON THE LGT AND WDB FLEET. RATHER THAN WARNING US OF 'HEY, YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE,' THE AIRPLANE NOW ONLY WARNS US OF 'HEY, YOU SCREWED UP!' IT IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION WHY THIS AURAL ALERT WAS REMOVED AND I INTEND TO ATTEMPT TO USE EVERY MEANS TO HAVE IT REINSTALLED. ANYTHING NASA CAN DO TO EXPEDITE THIS WOULD SURELY HELP TO MAKE THE SKIES A SAFE PLACE.
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.