<< >> NASA ASRS Report 328210, February 1996

Altitude deviation on climb out. PNF, first officer and ATC alerted the captain, PF, who returned to assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	328210
Time
Date	199602
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	328210
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was off center frequency (atlanta 135.35) advising flight attendants that we were out of 10000 ft MSL per company procedures, after advising captain that I would do so. Our clearance for climb was to 12000 ft MSL. While off frequency, our climb continued, and as the captain approached 12000 ft I reported back on primary communication frequency and I restated to the captain that 12000 ft was our assigned altitude. The captain said 'thank you' for reminding of said altitude, but level off was at about 12080 ft. ZTL questioned our altitude as 12200 ft and I replied that it was about 12080 ft MSL. Center asked if we had gone through 12000 ft and I advised that we were about 80 ft high. Center did not indicate any problem, nor did TCASII, but I wanted to show how this can happen when each pilot is busy with required calls outside of primary communication frequency. Any time 'out of the loop,' is risky.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON CLBOUT. PNF, FO AND ATC ALERTED THE CAPT, PF, WHO RETURNED TO ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS OFF CTR FREQ (ATLANTA 135.35) ADVISING FLT ATTENDANTS THAT WE WERE OUT OF 10000 FT MSL PER COMPANY PROCS, AFTER ADVISING CAPT THAT I WOULD DO SO. OUR CLRNC FOR CLB WAS TO 12000 FT MSL. WHILE OFF FREQ, OUR CLB CONTINUED, AND AS THE CAPT APCHED 12000 FT I RPTED BACK ON PRIMARY COM FREQ AND I RESTATED TO THE CAPT THAT 12000 FT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT SAID 'THANK YOU' FOR REMINDING OF SAID ALT, BUT LEVEL OFF WAS AT ABOUT 12080 FT. ZTL QUESTIONED OUR ALT AS 12200 FT AND I REPLIED THAT IT WAS ABOUT 12080 FT MSL. CTR ASKED IF WE HAD GONE THROUGH 12000 FT AND I ADVISED THAT WE WERE ABOUT 80 FT HIGH. CTR DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROB, NOR DID TCASII, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN EACH PLT IS BUSY WITH REQUIRED CALLS OUTSIDE OF PRIMARY COM FREQ. ANY TIME 'OUT OF THE LOOP,' IS RISKY.

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.