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An air carrier light transport captain descended below his assigned altitude. His first officer was no help and the altitude alert was inoperative by MEL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 352610 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rdu |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rdu tower : tys |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3480 flight time type : 1980 |
| ASRS Report | 352610 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera 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:
Flying with a relatively new first officer on a clear VFR day. We were descending for 6000 ft. The altitude select and TCASII had been MEL'ed. I called for the first officer to call the field in sight as we passed through 8000 ft. I asked 2 more times to make the call with no response. In the process of gaining the first officer's attention and find out what he was focusing on, I noticed that we had just passed 6000 ft and were coming through 5900 ft. By the time we had changed our momentum, we had reached 5700 ft and began climbing through 5900 ft when approach called for our altitude. Later I asked the first officer what was going on, his response was that he was looking out the window for the VFR traffic in the area and was temporarily distracted by what was being said over the company frequency.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR LTT CAPT DSNDED BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT. HIS FO WAS NO HELP AND THE ALT ALERT WAS INOP BY MEL.
Narrative: FLYING WITH A RELATIVELY NEW FO ON A CLR VFR DAY. WE WERE DSNDING FOR 6000 FT. THE ALT SELECT AND TCASII HAD BEEN MEL'ED. I CALLED FOR THE FO TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT AS WE PASSED THROUGH 8000 FT. I ASKED 2 MORE TIMES TO MAKE THE CALL WITH NO RESPONSE. IN THE PROCESS OF GAINING THE FO'S ATTN AND FIND OUT WHAT HE WAS FOCUSING ON, I NOTICED THAT WE HAD JUST PASSED 6000 FT AND WERE COMING THROUGH 5900 FT. BY THE TIME WE HAD CHANGED OUR MOMENTUM, WE HAD REACHED 5700 FT AND BEGAN CLBING THROUGH 5900 FT WHEN APCH CALLED FOR OUR ALT. LATER I ASKED THE FO WHAT WAS GOING ON, HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT HE WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW FOR THE VFR TFC IN THE AREA AND WAS TEMPORARILY DISTRACTED BY WHAT WAS BEING SAID OVER THE COMPANY FREQ.
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.