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Captain of an MD80 started climbing 'before it was time,' or cleared, after being cleared by controller to expect to be cleared to flight plan altitude after receiving a routing amendment. First officer caught the captain's error quick enough for the captain to only climb above assigned by 400 ft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 350599 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : czq |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j110 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 350599 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 350320 |
| 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:
We had been held down at FL250 for traffic, awaiting climb clearance to our filed altitude of FL330. Just prior to reaching czq, I requested J110, a shorter route, and again requested a climb. The controller advised us of reported turbulence at FL330 on J110 and asked us if we were sure we wanted that route. I conferred with the captain, we agreed, and I told the controller 'affirmative.' the controller then cleared us J110 and expect FL330. I read back the clearance, then consulted my jet chart for the correct radial for J110. When I looked back at the instruments, I noticed the airplane climbing through FL253, and as I called out 'altitude' the captain (PF) disengaged the autoplt and autothrottles, stopped the climb at FL254 and returned to FL250. The flight continued without further incident. Additionally, when the controller advised us of turbulence on J110 at FL330, she also told us we would have to climb to FL330 to proceed on J110. When we were subsequently cleared J110, I believe the captain had in his mind that we were also cleared to climb.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MD80 STARTED CLBING 'BEFORE IT WAS TIME,' OR CLRED, AFTER BEING CLRED BY CTLR TO EXPECT TO BE CLRED TO FLT PLAN ALT AFTER RECEIVING A ROUTING AMENDMENT. FO CAUGHT THE CAPT'S ERROR QUICK ENOUGH FOR THE CAPT TO ONLY CLB ABOVE ASSIGNED BY 400 FT.
Narrative: WE HAD BEEN HELD DOWN AT FL250 FOR TFC, AWAITING CLB CLRNC TO OUR FILED ALT OF FL330. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING CZQ, I REQUESTED J110, A SHORTER RTE, AND AGAIN REQUESTED A CLB. THE CTLR ADVISED US OF RPTED TURB AT FL330 ON J110 AND ASKED US IF WE WERE SURE WE WANTED THAT RTE. I CONFERRED WITH THE CAPT, WE AGREED, AND I TOLD THE CTLR 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THE CTLR THEN CLRED US J110 AND EXPECT FL330. I READ BACK THE CLRNC, THEN CONSULTED MY JET CHART FOR THE CORRECT RADIAL FOR J110. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE INSTS, I NOTICED THE AIRPLANE CLBING THROUGH FL253, AND AS I CALLED OUT 'ALT' THE CAPT (PF) DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES, STOPPED THE CLB AT FL254 AND RETURNED TO FL250. THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED US OF TURB ON J110 AT FL330, SHE ALSO TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE TO CLB TO FL330 TO PROCEED ON J110. WHEN WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED J110, I BELIEVE THE CAPT HAD IN HIS MIND THAT WE WERE ALSO CLRED TO CLB.
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.