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Large transport climbing to FL310 overshot and got to FL315 before recovering. Cockpit distraction and faulty altitude alerter contributed to problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 362510 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gso |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31500 |
| 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 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 362510 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 362201 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| 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:
On a routine flight from atl to iad, we were filed to climb to FL330. During the climb, ATC cleared us to FL310 in order to hold us down over gso for other traffic. After passing FL290, the flight engineer announced he was going to the restroom and asked the captain and first officer if they would like anything to drink. As a result of the distraction, the first officer, who was flying, realized he had failed to level off at FL310 and eventually leveled off at FL315. Each pilot also noted that the altitude alerting system failed to chime or light up. Reviewing the altitude deviation, we realized that several factors contributed to the deviation: 1) the distraction prior to leveloff diverted the pilot's attention from flying the aircraft. 2) over reliance on the altitude alerting system to notify the pilots of their leveloff altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LGT CLBING TO FL310 OVERSHOT AND GOT TO FL315 BEFORE RECOVERING. COCKPIT DISTR AND FAULTY ALT ALERTER CONTRIBUTED TO PROB.
Narrative: ON A ROUTINE FLT FROM ATL TO IAD, WE WERE FILED TO CLB TO FL330. DURING THE CLB, ATC CLRED US TO FL310 IN ORDER TO HOLD US DOWN OVER GSO FOR OTHER TFC. AFTER PASSING FL290, THE FE ANNOUNCED HE WAS GOING TO THE RESTROOM AND ASKED THE CAPT AND FO IF THEY WOULD LIKE ANYTHING TO DRINK. AS A RESULT OF THE DISTR, THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, REALIZED HE HAD FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT FL310 AND EVENTUALLY LEVELED OFF AT FL315. EACH PLT ALSO NOTED THAT THE ALT ALERTING SYS FAILED TO CHIME OR LIGHT UP. REVIEWING THE ALTDEV, WE REALIZED THAT SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEV: 1) THE DISTR PRIOR TO LEVELOFF DIVERTED THE PLT'S ATTN FROM FLYING THE ACFT. 2) OVER RELIANCE ON THE ALT ALERTING SYS TO NOTIFY THE PLTS OF THEIR LEVELOFF ALT.
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.