2 flight attendants and 2 passenger were injured when an MD11 flight crew could not reduce the high descent rate of the aircraft, while on autoplt. When the captain disconnected the autoplt and leveled off, the aircraft had overshot the assigned altitude, and occupants in the rear of the aircraft were reported injured during the aircraft's return to clearance altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	341439
Time
Date	199607
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hto
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23700 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	341439
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	341158
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While cruising at FL350 ZBW cleared us to FL240 by 20 mi northeast of parch intersection. We were approximately 40 DME northeast of parch. Level change mode used to descend. Supplemental information from acn 341158: the first officer started a descent using full speed brakes to make the crossing. Our descent rate was approximately 4500 FPM. Approaching FL250, I advised him to reduce the descent rate. He replied, shortly, that the autoplt was not responding to inputs to the vertical speed pitch thumbwheel. I then disengaged the autoplt and the nose pitched up causing a jolt similar to that of crossing a jet wake. 2 passenger and 2 cabin attendants had suffered injuries. Jfk ramp was advised to have medical personnel meet us. Jfk approach control was advised we wanted priority for landing. The autoplt was written up in the logbook. Injuries were in the tail of the aircraft. The seat belt was not illuminated due to smooth air at the time and the short distance given us by ATC to make our altitude crossing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 FLT ATTENDANTS AND 2 PAX WERE INJURED WHEN AN MD11 FLC COULD NOT REDUCE THE HIGH DSCNT RATE OF THE ACFT, WHILE ON AUTOPLT. WHEN THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED OFF, THE ACFT HAD OVERSHOT THE ASSIGNED ALT, AND OCCUPANTS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT WERE RPTED INJURED DURING THE ACFT'S RETURN TO CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL350 ZBW CLRED US TO FL240 BY 20 MI NE OF PARCH INTXN. WE WERE APPROX 40 DME NE OF PARCH. LEVEL CHANGE MODE USED TO DSND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 341158: THE FO STARTED A DSCNT USING FULL SPD BRAKES TO MAKE THE XING. OUR DSCNT RATE WAS APPROX 4500 FPM. APCHING FL250, I ADVISED HIM TO REDUCE THE DSCNT RATE. HE REPLIED, SHORTLY, THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT RESPONDING TO INPUTS TO THE VERT SPD PITCH THUMBWHEEL. I THEN DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND THE NOSE PITCHED UP CAUSING A JOLT SIMILAR TO THAT OF XING A JET WAKE. 2 PAX AND 2 CABIN ATTENDANTS HAD SUFFERED INJURIES. JFK RAMP WAS ADVISED TO HAVE MEDICAL PERSONNEL MEET US. JFK APCH CTL WAS ADVISED WE WANTED PRIORITY FOR LNDG. THE AUTOPLT WAS WRITTEN UP IN THE LOGBOOK. INJURIES WERE IN THE TAIL OF THE ACFT. THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED DUE TO SMOOTH AIR AT THE TIME AND THE SHORT DISTANCE GIVEN US BY ATC TO MAKE OUR ALT XING.

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.