Narrative:

We were being vectored after being broken out of the arrival sequence to runway 19 (ILS) by sdf approach control due to not enough spacing between our aircraft (dc-8) and a B-757 with a 15 KT slower final approach speed. The first officer was flying the ILS approach coupled to the autoplt due to the relatively low and ragged ceiling. We were at the OM when the go around was initiated at 2800 ft MSL and instructed to turn right 90 degrees and climb to 3000 ft MSL. The first officer complied with these instructions while turning off the autoplt and retracting gear/flaps. When attempting to re-connect the autoplt, he did not get an altitude capture and a slight descent was noticed by the captain who immediately pointed this fact out. At 2900 ft MSL, the captain commanded the first officer to turn the autoplt off and get back up to altitude, while at the same time another 90 degree radial turn was given by approach control. The first officer immediately rolled the aircraft into 30 degrees of bank angle which increased the rate of descent and kicked off the autoplt. He attempted to correct the descent and bring the aircraft back up to altitude, but his correction was too small and the captain assumed control at 2800 ft MSL and immediately brought the aircraft back to 3000 ft MSL. Primary cause: this was a reserve crew who was experiencing chronic fatigue from 2 preceding international legs in which they were disturbed in the middle of their crew rest by calls from scheduling. Secondary cause: inexperience of the first officer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED APCH VECTORING ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED AFTER BEING BROKEN OUT OF THE ARR SEQUENCE TO RWY 19 (ILS) BY SDF APCH CTL DUE TO NOT ENOUGH SPACING BTWN OUR ACFT (DC-8) AND A B-757 WITH A 15 KT SLOWER FINAL APCH SPD. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ILS APCH COUPLED TO THE AUTOPLT DUE TO THE RELATIVELY LOW AND RAGGED CEILING. WE WERE AT THE OM WHEN THE GAR WAS INITIATED AT 2800 FT MSL AND INSTRUCTED TO TURN R 90 DEGS AND CLB TO 3000 FT MSL. THE FO COMPLIED WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHILE TURNING OFF THE AUTOPLT AND RETRACTING GEAR/FLAPS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RE-CONNECT THE AUTOPLT, HE DID NOT GET AN ALT CAPTURE AND A SLIGHT DSCNT WAS NOTICED BY THE CAPT WHO IMMEDIATELY POINTED THIS FACT OUT. AT 2900 FT MSL, THE CAPT COMMANDED THE FO TO TURN THE AUTOPLT OFF AND GET BACK UP TO ALT, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER 90 DEG RADIAL TURN WAS GIVEN BY APCH CTL. THE FO IMMEDIATELY ROLLED THE ACFT INTO 30 DEGS OF BANK ANGLE WHICH INCREASED THE RATE OF DSCNT AND KICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE DSCNT AND BRING THE ACFT BACK UP TO ALT, BUT HIS CORRECTION WAS TOO SMALL AND THE CAPT ASSUMED CTL AT 2800 FT MSL AND IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK TO 3000 FT MSL. PRIMARY CAUSE: THIS WAS A RESERVE CREW WHO WAS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC FATIGUE FROM 2 PRECEDING INTL LEGS IN WHICH THEY WERE DISTURBED IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CREW REST BY CALLS FROM SCHEDULING. SECONDARY CAUSE: INEXPERIENCE OF THE FO.

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.