<< >> NASA ASRS Report 364767, March 1997

An instructor and student pilot descend below their assigned block altitude during their return from a practice session. The approach controller alerted them to their error and to a conflict that they caused.

Attributes
ACN	364767
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ict
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ict
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	364767
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During flight instruction with a student, wichita approach assigned us an altitude no lower than 4500 ft MSL to avoid other traffic below. After performing repeated training maneuvers above our assigned altitude, it became obvious that my student had been overwhelmed by the practice of power on stalls. I decided that we should conclude the lesson with an emergency descent. I totally forgot the altitude restr as we continued down to 3300 ft MSL. During descent, the student and I talked continuously about aerodynamics that would speed the rate of descent. When we leveled off at approximately 3200 ft MSL, approach was calling. They reminded us of the altitude restr and stated that we had passed the other aircraft by 1 mi horizontal and 100 ft vertical. All of this occurred in class east airspace where approach control has advisory capacity only. To prevent this from happening again, we should restrict unnecessary chatter in the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT DSND BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED BLOCK ALT DURING THEIR RETURN FROM A PRACTICE SESSION. THE APCH CTLR ALERTED THEM TO THEIR ERROR AND TO A CONFLICT THAT THEY CAUSED.

Narrative: DURING FLT INSTRUCTION WITH A STUDENT, WICHITA APCH ASSIGNED US AN ALT NO LOWER THAN 4500 FT MSL TO AVOID OTHER TFC BELOW. AFTER PERFORMING REPEATED TRAINING MANEUVERS ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT MY STUDENT HAD BEEN OVERWHELMED BY THE PRACTICE OF PWR ON STALLS. I DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD CONCLUDE THE LESSON WITH AN EMER DSCNT. I TOTALLY FORGOT THE ALT RESTR AS WE CONTINUED DOWN TO 3300 FT MSL. DURING DSCNT, THE STUDENT AND I TALKED CONTINUOUSLY ABOUT AERODYNAMICS THAT WOULD SPD THE RATE OF DSCNT. WHEN WE LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 3200 FT MSL, APCH WAS CALLING. THEY REMINDED US OF THE ALT RESTR AND STATED THAT WE HAD PASSED THE OTHER ACFT BY 1 MI HORIZ AND 100 FT VERT. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED IN CLASS E AIRSPACE WHERE APCH CTL HAS ADVISORY CAPACITY ONLY. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, WE SHOULD RESTRICT UNNECESSARY CHATTER IN THE COCKPIT.

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.