Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	311261
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	311261
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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:

Descended below assigned altitude of 2500 ft to 2000 ft. Was tired and forgot because descent was from 11500 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter says that another incident occurred besides the altitude deviation which was more interesting to ASRS. Aircraft he was flying, the SOP is takeoff on main fuel tanks and after takeoff switch to auxiliary tanks, then, when burned down, switch back to mains. His personal procedure is to set a timer clock to remind him when to switch back to mains, but when the timer went off he forgot to switch until both engines quit from fuel starvation. He lost several thousand ft, notified ATC and got the engines restarted. Later the altitude deviation occurred. Reporter said, 'it's worth a piece of paper and 32 cents to send a report to cover myself.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV.

Narrative: DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT OF 2500 FT TO 2000 FT. WAS TIRED AND FORGOT BECAUSE DSCNT WAS FROM 11500 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAYS THAT ANOTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED BESIDES THE ALTDEV WHICH WAS MORE INTERESTING TO ASRS. ACFT HE WAS FLYING, THE SOP IS TKOF ON MAIN FUEL TANKS AND AFTER TKOF SWITCH TO AUX TANKS, THEN, WHEN BURNED DOWN, SWITCH BACK TO MAINS. HIS PERSONAL PROC IS TO SET A TIMER CLOCK TO REMIND HIM WHEN TO SWITCH BACK TO MAINS, BUT WHEN THE TIMER WENT OFF HE FORGOT TO SWITCH UNTIL BOTH ENGS QUIT FROM FUEL STARVATION. HE LOST SEVERAL THOUSAND FT, NOTIFIED ATC AND GOT THE ENGS RESTARTED. LATER THE ALTDEV OCCURRED. RPTR SAID, 'IT'S WORTH A PIECE OF PAPER AND 32 CENTS TO SEND A RPT TO COVER MYSELF.'

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.