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B737-200 flight crew experiences an altitude deviation altitude overshot in descent. Reporter error admitted.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 358510 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : okc |
| State Reference | OK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6600 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : okc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 358510 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 358513 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented 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 descending through 8000 ft for 7000 ft MSL I was copying newly updated ATIS from okc while captain was flying. During this time frame, was also changing VOR frequencys in preparation for newly assigned clearance from ATC. At that altitude we were picking up moderate icing. The captain flying was watching for accumulation of icing on wings about the time the controller changed frequencys. Since I was copying ATIS he had the radios for ATC. About the time he was changing frequencys, I looked up when I heard the altitude warning horn go off. We were at 6600 ft MSL instead of the required 7000 ft. I pointed this out to the captain and he immediately returned to 7000 ft. The autoplt was engaged with control wheel steering mode. Previous to this flight we had been flying B737-300's with a different autoplt and flight director system. I believe that was part of the problem for the altitude miss. The other problem was too much activity in the cockpit by both pilots at the same time. The best solution to the problem is to make sure both pilots are familiar with the particular instrumentation of the aircraft they are flying and to make sure that 1 pilot is monitoring aircraft flight path if other pilot is busy with head down.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-200 FLC EXPERIENCES AN ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT. RPTR ERROR ADMITTED.
Narrative: WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT FOR 7000 FT MSL I WAS COPYING NEWLY UPDATED ATIS FROM OKC WHILE CAPT WAS FLYING. DURING THIS TIME FRAME, WAS ALSO CHANGING VOR FREQS IN PREPARATION FOR NEWLY ASSIGNED CLRNC FROM ATC. AT THAT ALT WE WERE PICKING UP MODERATE ICING. THE CAPT FLYING WAS WATCHING FOR ACCUMULATION OF ICING ON WINGS ABOUT THE TIME THE CTLR CHANGED FREQS. SINCE I WAS COPYING ATIS HE HAD THE RADIOS FOR ATC. ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS CHANGING FREQS, I LOOKED UP WHEN I HEARD THE ALT WARNING HORN GO OFF. WE WERE AT 6600 FT MSL INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 7000 FT. I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE CAPT AND HE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 7000 FT. THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED WITH CTL WHEEL STEERING MODE. PREVIOUS TO THIS FLT WE HAD BEEN FLYING B737-300'S WITH A DIFFERENT AUTOPLT AND FLT DIRECTOR SYS. I BELIEVE THAT WAS PART OF THE PROB FOR THE ALT MISS. THE OTHER PROB WAS TOO MUCH ACTIVITY IN THE COCKPIT BY BOTH PLTS AT THE SAME TIME. THE BEST SOLUTION TO THE PROB IS TO MAKE SURE BOTH PLTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PARTICULAR INSTRUMENTATION OF THE ACFT THEY ARE FLYING AND TO MAKE SURE THAT 1 PLT IS MONITORING ACFT FLT PATH IF OTHER PLT IS BUSY WITH HEAD DOWN.
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.