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B727 overshoots its assigned altitude when the altitude capture feature fails and the PIC is unable to change aircraft pitch with autoplt pitch trim wheel. First officer had missed altitude call at minus 1000 ft and the so was giving a PA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 364510 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cvg |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12450 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid tower : stl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 364510 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 364344 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On climb out we overshot our altitude clearance by approximately 400 ft. No conflict resulted. I was making an informational PA to the passenger when the PNF announced we were climbing through our assigned altitude. The PF was distracted by a misbehaving autoplt vertical speed wheel. I do not recall if the autoplt automatic altitude capture feature was engaged. I normally make a passenger PA after passing 10000 ft on climb out. I have revised this practice and delay this PA until a higher altitude and sometimes wait until leveloff at our cruising altitude. Another possible cause was not confirming the autoplt automatic altitude capture was engaged. Verbalizing this like we do altitude callouts would have prevented this occurrence. Supplemental information from acn 364344: mode 5 altitude alert and capture set and armed. Autoplt would not move to change pitch altitude distracted me, first officer missed 1000 ft callout and we flew through altitude by about 450 ft and then returned. First time I have ever seen a mode 5 not capture. Balance of flight, autoplt worked fine.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B727 OVERSHOOTS ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE ALT CAPTURE FEATURE FAILS AND THE PIC IS UNABLE TO CHANGE ACFT PITCH WITH AUTOPLT PITCH TRIM WHEEL. FO HAD MISSED ALT CALL AT MINUS 1000 FT AND THE SO WAS GIVING A PA.
Narrative: ON CLBOUT WE OVERSHOT OUR ALT CLRNC BY APPROX 400 FT. NO CONFLICT RESULTED. I WAS MAKING AN INFORMATIONAL PA TO THE PAX WHEN THE PNF ANNOUNCED WE WERE CLBING THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE PF WAS DISTRACTED BY A MISBEHAVING AUTOPLT VERT SPD WHEEL. I DO NOT RECALL IF THE AUTOPLT AUTOMATIC ALT CAPTURE FEATURE WAS ENGAGED. I NORMALLY MAKE A PAX PA AFTER PASSING 10000 FT ON CLBOUT. I HAVE REVISED THIS PRACTICE AND DELAY THIS PA UNTIL A HIGHER ALT AND SOMETIMES WAIT UNTIL LEVELOFF AT OUR CRUISING ALT. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CAUSE WAS NOT CONFIRMING THE AUTOPLT AUTOMATIC ALT CAPTURE WAS ENGAGED. VERBALIZING THIS LIKE WE DO ALT CALLOUTS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 364344: MODE 5 ALT ALERT AND CAPTURE SET AND ARMED. AUTOPLT WOULD NOT MOVE TO CHANGE PITCH ALT DISTRACTED ME, FO MISSED 1000 FT CALLOUT AND WE FLEW THROUGH ALT BY ABOUT 450 FT AND THEN RETURNED. FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER SEEN A MODE 5 NOT CAPTURE. BALANCE OF FLT, AUTOPLT WORKED FINE.
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.