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An air carrier B737 flight crew was forced to divert after an unexpected holding delay because the fuel on board became inadequate for the flight to the destination. While the PNF was coordinating with dispatch and obtaining the ATIS, the PF overshot the assigned altitude during the descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 334881 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : har |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16700 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| 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 : 180 flight time total : 10500 |
| ASRS Report | 334881 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 334440 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| 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:
On scheduled flight from roc to iad received holding instructions at har VOR at FL180. After 15 mins of holding, requested clearance to bwi due to inadequate fuel (from continued hold). Departed VOR on 180 degree heading with a descent clearance to 17000 ft. I was busy coordinating with dispatch and getting ATIS for bwi. Copilot descended to 16700 ft before noting we had descended through cleared altitude. Climbed back to 17000 ft and continued normally. The increased workload caused by unexpected holding and making alternate plans resulted in only 1 person monitoring the aircraft. The altitude alert brought the deviation to our attention.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR B737 FLC WAS FORCED TO DIVERT AFTER AN UNEXPECTED HOLDING DELAY BECAUSE THE FUEL ON BOARD BECAME INADEQUATE FOR THE FLT TO THE DEST. WHILE THE PNF WAS COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH AND OBTAINING THE ATIS, THE PF OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED ALT DURING THE DSCNT.
Narrative: ON SCHEDULED FLT FROM ROC TO IAD RECEIVED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT HAR VOR AT FL180. AFTER 15 MINS OF HOLDING, REQUESTED CLRNC TO BWI DUE TO INADEQUATE FUEL (FROM CONTINUED HOLD). DEPARTED VOR ON 180 DEG HDG WITH A DSCNT CLRNC TO 17000 FT. I WAS BUSY COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH AND GETTING ATIS FOR BWI. COPLT DSNDED TO 16700 FT BEFORE NOTING WE HAD DSNDED THROUGH CLRED ALT. CLBED BACK TO 17000 FT AND CONTINUED NORMALLY. THE INCREASED WORKLOAD CAUSED BY UNEXPECTED HOLDING AND MAKING ALTERNATE PLANS RESULTED IN ONLY 1 PERSON MONITORING THE ACFT. THE ALT ALERT BROUGHT THE DEV TO OUR ATTN.
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.