Altitude deviation altitude excursion.

Attributes
ACN	298016
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zid
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34500 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	298016
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cruising at FL310 due to weight decided to climb to FL350 after fuel burnoff reduced us to legal weight. Aircraft acted 'heavy' with very slow rate of climb. Out of FL345 climb rate down to 100-200 FPM. Had to trade off about 15 KTS to get to FL350. (ATC working traffic in our area) at FL350 aircraft would not accelerate so requested lower from ATC. Controller responded, 'lower in 90 seconds.' airspeed had been holding steady but began to slowly reduce. Told controller we would take a turn to get a lower. He responded, '10 more seconds.' after speed came off another 3-4 KTS released autoplt and began descent while simultaneously receiving clearance to lower altitude. For some reason the aircraft did not perform as advertised (weight and balance loading error?) and I stayed at altitude too long for comfort. (Should have declared emergency and initiated descent sooner).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL310 DUE TO WT DECIDED TO CLB TO FL350 AFTER FUEL BURNOFF REDUCED US TO LEGAL WT. ACFT ACTED 'HEAVY' WITH VERY SLOW RATE OF CLB. OUT OF FL345 CLB RATE DOWN TO 100-200 FPM. HAD TO TRADE OFF ABOUT 15 KTS TO GET TO FL350. (ATC WORKING TFC IN OUR AREA) AT FL350 ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SO REQUESTED LOWER FROM ATC. CTLR RESPONDED, 'LOWER IN 90 SECONDS.' AIRSPD HAD BEEN HOLDING STEADY BUT BEGAN TO SLOWLY REDUCE. TOLD CTLR WE WOULD TAKE A TURN TO GET A LOWER. HE RESPONDED, '10 MORE SECONDS.' AFTER SPEED CAME OFF ANOTHER 3-4 KTS RELEASED AUTOPLT AND BEGAN DSCNT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVING CLRNC TO LOWER ALT. FOR SOME REASON THE ACFT DID NOT PERFORM AS ADVERTISED (WT AND BAL LOADING ERROR?) AND I STAYED AT ALT TOO LONG FOR COMFORT. (SHOULD HAVE DECLARED EMER AND INITIATED DSCNT SOONER).

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.