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Air carrier flight crew descended below clearance altitude while deviating for WX, and looking for traffic during approach phase.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 306431 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199506 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pit |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 8379 |
| ASRS Report | 306431 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 182 flight time total : 12766 flight time type : 4938 |
| ASRS Report | 306430 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| 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:
I was cleared to 6000 ft on approach to pittsburgh, landing runway 28R. There was hazardous WX in the form of numerous thunderstorm cells. We were deviating around these cells, while we plotted a path to the approach end of runway 28R that would keep up clear of these cells. I went through 6000 ft descending, preoccupied by the WX situation. When the altitude alerter went off, I climbed immediately back to 6000 ft. I allowed myself to become distracted by a tight WX situation to the extent of not taking care of business, ie, flying the airplane. Flying the plane should have been my #1 priority. Supplemental information from acn 306430: I was coordinating vectors on the radio while the captain flew, and we discussed our best route to airport around storms and looked for traffic we were to follow, becoming distracted with these activities, went down to about 5700 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FLC DSNDED BELOW CLRNC ALT WHILE DEVIATING FOR WX, AND LOOKING FOR TFC DURING APCH PHASE.
Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO 6000 FT ON APCH TO PITTSBURGH, LNDG RWY 28R. THERE WAS HAZARDOUS WX IN THE FORM OF NUMEROUS TSTM CELLS. WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND THESE CELLS, WHILE WE PLOTTED A PATH TO THE APCH END OF RWY 28R THAT WOULD KEEP UP CLR OF THESE CELLS. I WENT THROUGH 6000 FT DSNDING, PREOCCUPIED BY THE WX SIT. WHEN THE ALT ALERTER WENT OFF, I CLBED IMMEDIATELY BACK TO 6000 FT. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED BY A TIGHT WX SIT TO THE EXTENT OF NOT TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, IE, FLYING THE AIRPLANE. FLYING THE PLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY #1 PRIORITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 306430: I WAS COORDINATING VECTORS ON THE RADIO WHILE THE CAPT FLEW, AND WE DISCUSSED OUR BEST RTE TO ARPT AROUND STORMS AND LOOKED FOR TFC WE WERE TO FOLLOW, BECOMING DISTRACTED WITH THESE ACTIVITIES, WENT DOWN TO ABOUT 5700 FT.
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.