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An air carrier MD80 crew climbed through its assigned altitude after the altitude set knob was accidentally moved. Error admitted.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 351750 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sea |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sea |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other departure sid : sid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| ASRS Report | 351750 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On summa 5 departure, I was cleared to 15000 ft. After a few turns on the departure, I reached up to turn the heading selector while hand flying, but brushed the altitude set knob with my thumb as I reached for the heading select knob. I was aware that I had lightly touched the altitude set knob, but did not think that I had touched it hard enough to change the setting. After about 10-15 seconds, I checked the altitude window and saw 18000 ft. We were climbing through about 13500 ft when I asked the captain if we were cleared to 18000 ft. He was not sure and asked ATC who confirmed 15000 ft. By that time I was approaching 16000 ft and returned to 15000 ft. The captain and I were somewhat distracted by our discussion of using olympia VOR for that part of the departure. Solution: keep in mind the altitude clearance, pre-brief radials, and be aware of how easily the altitude set knob moves.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR MD80 CREW CLBED THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT AFTER THE ALT SET KNOB WAS ACCIDENTALLY MOVED. ERROR ADMITTED.
Narrative: ON SUMMA 5 DEP, I WAS CLRED TO 15000 FT. AFTER A FEW TURNS ON THE DEP, I REACHED UP TO TURN THE HEADING SELECTOR WHILE HAND FLYING, BUT BRUSHED THE ALT SET KNOB WITH MY THUMB AS I REACHED FOR THE HEADING SELECT KNOB. I WAS AWARE THAT I HAD LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE ALT SET KNOB, BUT DID NOT THINK THAT I HAD TOUCHED IT HARD ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE SETTING. AFTER ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS, I CHKED THE ALT WINDOW AND SAW 18000 FT. WE WERE CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 13500 FT WHEN I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE WERE CLRED TO 18000 FT. HE WAS NOT SURE AND ASKED ATC WHO CONFIRMED 15000 FT. BY THAT TIME I WAS APCHING 16000 FT AND RETURNED TO 15000 FT. THE CAPT AND I WERE SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED BY OUR DISCUSSION OF USING OLYMPIA VOR FOR THAT PART OF THE DEP. SOLUTION: KEEP IN MIND THE ALT CLRNC, PRE-BRIEF RADIALS, AND BE AWARE OF HOW EASILY THE ALT SET KNOB MOVES.
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.