Large transport aircraft during climb had overspd warning resulting in flight crew distraction as aircraft failed to level at assigned altitude. Reporter captain disconnected autoplt and returned to assigned altitude.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	357340
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	357340
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	357787
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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:

I was the captain on the flight from atl to bhm. I was the PF and had the aircraft on autoplt, VNAV and heading selected as we were on a radar vector for bhm. We were assigned 14000 ft. Leaving about 12500 ft, the autothrottles failed to control the airspeed, and we went through the limit mmo/IAS and received the overspd warning. The autoplt also failed to capture altitude, and flew the assigned 14000 ft. I caught the altitude excursion at about 14700 ft, disengaged the autoplt and autothrottles and pushed over to regain altitude and slow the aircraft to a normal indicated airspeed. The overspd warning probably caused both pilots to miss the altitude alert we should have received on approaching 14000 ft, as neither of us heard the warning. There was no comment or question from ATC about our altitude and we saw no other aircraft visually or on TCASII. There was no conflict. We were later assigned FL220 and completed the flight to bhm uneventfully. We will in the future be more concerned with altitude than airspeed overshoot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT DURING CLB HAD OVERSPD WARNING RESULTING IN FLC DISTR AS ACFT FAILED TO LEVEL AT ASSIGNED ALT. RPTR CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND RETURNED TO ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON THE FLT FROM ATL TO BHM. I WAS THE PF AND HAD THE ACFT ON AUTOPLT, VNAV AND HDG SELECTED AS WE WERE ON A RADAR VECTOR FOR BHM. WE WERE ASSIGNED 14000 FT. LEAVING ABOUT 12500 FT, THE AUTOTHROTTLES FAILED TO CTL THE AIRSPD, AND WE WENT THROUGH THE LIMIT MMO/IAS AND RECEIVED THE OVERSPD WARNING. THE AUTOPLT ALSO FAILED TO CAPTURE ALT, AND FLEW THE ASSIGNED 14000 FT. I CAUGHT THE ALT EXCURSION AT ABOUT 14700 FT, DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND PUSHED OVER TO REGAIN ALT AND SLOW THE ACFT TO A NORMAL INDICATED AIRSPD. THE OVERSPD WARNING PROBABLY CAUSED BOTH PLTS TO MISS THE ALT ALERT WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ON APCHING 14000 FT, AS NEITHER OF US HEARD THE WARNING. THERE WAS NO COMMENT OR QUESTION FROM ATC ABOUT OUR ALT AND WE SAW NO OTHER ACFT VISUALLY OR ON TCASII. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. WE WERE LATER ASSIGNED FL220 AND COMPLETED THE FLT TO BHM UNEVENTFULLY. WE WILL IN THE FUTURE BE MORE CONCERNED WITH ALT THAN AIRSPD OVERSHOOT.

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.