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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew set and confirmed (with each other) the wrong altitude and descended below actual assigned altitude. Approach controller alerted crew to climb back to assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 298107 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199502 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sat |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sat |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other 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 : 150 flight time total : 18000 |
| ASRS Report | 298107 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot 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:
On flight descending into sat airport approach control assigned us 6000 ft. I selected what I thought was 6000 ft and the first officer confirmed it. What actually was set was 5000 ft. Descending through 6 for 5 we heard another aircraft assigned 5000 ft. I told the first officer to confirm we were cleared to 5000 ft, which was now selected in the altitude window. I then spotted an aircraft at 5000 ft on TCASII, then made visual contact with him at 2 O'clock at 7 mi. Approach told us that we were assigned 6000 ft and to climb back to that altitude, which we did. Factors that contributed to the mistake was fatigue from being an early riser and my body time was XX45. When lighting is adjusted for my primary instruments the back light for the altitude window was very dim. The #5 in the 500 ft readout had a small flaw in the #5, which made it appear as a 6. I believe this altitude window needs a separate light control or a higher watt light bulb so it may be easier seen during reduced lighting sits.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC SET AND CONFIRMED (WITH EACH OTHER) THE WRONG ALT AND DSNDED BELOW ACTUAL ASSIGNED ALT. APCH CTLR ALERTED CREW TO CLB BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: ON FLT DSNDING INTO SAT ARPT APCH CTL ASSIGNED US 6000 FT. I SELECTED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 6000 FT AND THE FO CONFIRMED IT. WHAT ACTUALLY WAS SET WAS 5000 FT. DSNDING THROUGH 6 FOR 5 WE HEARD ANOTHER ACFT ASSIGNED 5000 FT. I TOLD THE FO TO CONFIRM WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT, WHICH WAS NOW SELECTED IN THE ALT WINDOW. I THEN SPOTTED AN ACFT AT 5000 FT ON TCASII, THEN MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH HIM AT 2 O'CLOCK AT 7 MI. APCH TOLD US THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED 6000 FT AND TO CLB BACK TO THAT ALT, WHICH WE DID. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE MISTAKE WAS FATIGUE FROM BEING AN EARLY RISER AND MY BODY TIME WAS XX45. WHEN LIGHTING IS ADJUSTED FOR MY PRIMARY INSTS THE BACK LIGHT FOR THE ALT WINDOW WAS VERY DIM. THE #5 IN THE 500 FT READOUT HAD A SMALL FLAW IN THE #5, WHICH MADE IT APPEAR AS A 6. I BELIEVE THIS ALT WINDOW NEEDS A SEPARATE LIGHT CTL OR A HIGHER WATT LIGHT BULB SO IT MAY BE EASIER SEEN DURING REDUCED LIGHTING SITS.
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.