MD80 was descending and as they approached FL270, the captain was reprogramming the FMS which canceled the altitude capture and the rate of descent increased. Aircraft descended to FL269 and triggered a TCASII RA on a DC10, opposite direction traffic, at FL260.

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Attributes
ACN	358711
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26900 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	358711
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	358800
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZDC cleared us to FL270. During descent PF programmed the FMS to descend at 250 KIAS and 1500 FPM. Just prior to leveling at FL270, the PF noted that the IAS was 260 KIAS while descent rate was 400 FPM with throttles advancing. At that time the PF began to reprogram the FMS which canceled the altitude capture function of the autoplt. While 'heads down' and task saturated with the FMS the aircraft increased its rate of descent and descended through FL270. At that time the PNF took control of the aircraft and began a climb back to FL270. At about the same time a DC10 (?) triggered an RA on the TCASII. Air carrier Y traffic was opposite direction at FL260. The air carrier Y flight reported a near miss to the center controller. The controller queried our flight level to which we reported FL270 which was where we were at. We believe that the increasing descent rate in combination with the 1000 ft clearance triggered an RA. We believe the miss distance was at least 900 ft vertical.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 WAS DSNDING AND AS THEY APCHED FL270, THE CAPT WAS REPROGRAMMING THE FMS WHICH CANCELED THE ALT CAPTURE AND THE RATE OF DSCNT INCREASED. ACFT DSNDED TO FL269 AND TRIGGERED A TCASII RA ON A DC10, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, AT FL260.

Narrative: ZDC CLRED US TO FL270. DURING DSCNT PF PROGRAMMED THE FMS TO DSND AT 250 KIAS AND 1500 FPM. JUST PRIOR TO LEVELING AT FL270, THE PF NOTED THAT THE IAS WAS 260 KIAS WHILE DSCNT RATE WAS 400 FPM WITH THROTTLES ADVANCING. AT THAT TIME THE PF BEGAN TO REPROGRAM THE FMS WHICH CANCELED THE ALT CAPTURE FUNCTION OF THE AUTOPLT. WHILE 'HEADS DOWN' AND TASK SATURATED WITH THE FMS THE ACFT INCREASED ITS RATE OF DSCNT AND DSNDED THROUGH FL270. AT THAT TIME THE PNF TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND BEGAN A CLB BACK TO FL270. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A DC10 (?) TRIGGERED AN RA ON THE TCASII. ACR Y TFC WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL260. THE ACR Y FLT RPTED A NEAR MISS TO THE CTR CTLR. THE CTLR QUERIED OUR FLT LEVEL TO WHICH WE RPTED FL270 WHICH WAS WHERE WE WERE AT. WE BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASING DSCNT RATE IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1000 FT CLRNC TRIGGERED AN RA. WE BELIEVE THE MISS DISTANCE WAS AT LEAST 900 FT VERT.

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.