 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
PF during cruise must have been distracted while hand flying the aircraft and allowed it to descend 300 ft below assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 327870 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199602 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sea |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9700 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sea |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 327870 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | 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:
Level at 10000 ft and turned to required heading and the aircraft was allowed to start a slow descent. The descent was checked at approximately 9700 ft and a climb to 10000 ft was performed. The aircraft was being hand flown and I'm not sure why the altitude deviation occurred. I think the captain may have been distracted for a few seconds and I was busy with radio frequency changes when I noticed the descent (300 ft is not much altitude to lose at 250 KTS), and recognizing callout and reactions takes time. I believe the aircraft should be flown on autoplt in high traffic areas, thus allowing for more 'outside' awareness and a more stable aircraft. Some people believe that if they aren't hand flying then they aren't in command of the aircraft. Old habits are hard to give up!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PF DURING CRUISE MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED WHILE HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND ALLOWED IT TO DSND 300 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: LEVEL AT 10000 FT AND TURNED TO REQUIRED HDG AND THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO START A SLOW DSCNT. THE DSCNT WAS CHKED AT APPROX 9700 FT AND A CLB TO 10000 FT WAS PERFORMED. THE ACFT WAS BEING HAND FLOWN AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THE ALTDEV OCCURRED. I THINK THE CAPT MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND I WAS BUSY WITH RADIO FREQ CHANGES WHEN I NOTICED THE DSCNT (300 FT IS NOT MUCH ALT TO LOSE AT 250 KTS), AND RECOGNIZING CALLOUT AND REACTIONS TAKES TIME. I BELIEVE THE ACFT SHOULD BE FLOWN ON AUTOPLT IN HIGH TFC AREAS, THUS ALLOWING FOR MORE 'OUTSIDE' AWARENESS AND A MORE STABLE ACFT. SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IF THEY AREN'T HAND FLYING THEN THEY AREN'T IN COMMAND OF THE ACFT. OLD HABITS ARE HARD TO GIVE UP!
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.