 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Falcon 20 (DA20) maintaining FL280, autoplt engaged, failed to note autoplt disconnect and 400 ft loss of altitude. Altitude alerter sounded at same time controller queried. Crew was checking unusual routing into willow run airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 346117 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : djb |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27600 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Falcon 20FJF/20C/20D/20E/20F |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 70 |
| ASRS Report | 346117 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11400 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 346360 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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:
While in cruise at FL280 our flight had an unnoticed inadvertent autoplt disconnect. This became apparent to us after our altitude alerter went off. The cause for the disconnect is unknown. We experienced light turbulence at the time, and we were passing navigational charts between us trying to figure out an abnormal clearance issued to us. The passing of the charts may have caused one of us to accidentally bump the autoplt disconnect, however, this is unclr. ATC also alerted us to our altitude deviation of approximately 400 ft. We immediately took corrective action to establish level flight at our assigned altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FALCON 20 (DA20) MAINTAINING FL280, AUTOPLT ENGAGED, FAILED TO NOTE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT AND 400 FT LOSS OF ALT. ALT ALERTER SOUNDED AT SAME TIME CTLR QUERIED. CREW WAS CHKING UNUSUAL ROUTING INTO WILLOW RUN ARPT.
Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL280 OUR FLT HAD AN UNNOTICED INADVERTENT AUTOPLT DISCONNECT. THIS BECAME APPARENT TO US AFTER OUR ALT ALERTER WENT OFF. THE CAUSE FOR THE DISCONNECT IS UNKNOWN. WE EXPERIENCED LIGHT TURB AT THE TIME, AND WE WERE PASSING NAVIGATIONAL CHARTS BTWN US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AN ABNORMAL CLRNC ISSUED TO US. THE PASSING OF THE CHARTS MAY HAVE CAUSED ONE OF US TO ACCIDENTALLY BUMP THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT, HOWEVER, THIS IS UNCLR. ATC ALSO ALERTED US TO OUR ALTDEV OF APPROX 400 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO ESTABLISH LEVEL FLT AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT.
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.