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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A dhc-8 overshoots assigned altitude during climb as PF assumes the autoplt and leveling features will automatically level the aircraft at the proper altitude. No leveling feature was engaged, though, and the aircraft flew above assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 368929 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199705 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : clt |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : clt |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 368929 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 4600 |
| ASRS Report | 369020 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After level off I engaged autoplt on last leg of a 13 hour duty day with a short overnight. I asked the first officer what he had for total block so far today. His numbers did not agree with mine. I then started to check my numbers and then looked back at the ADI which showed a left climbing turn. I immediately resumed control of the aircraft and leveled off and then descended back to 9000 ft. Center never asked about the slight climb about 500 ft high. The autoplt either didn't engage or disconnected. Fatigue was the primary cause of this altitude bust. Center didn't question our altitude and I assume it went unnoticed. There were no other aircraft in the area. No TCASII target. Supplemental information from acn 369020: he released controls thinking autoplt was on and we climbed through our assigned altitude of 9000 ft. I was filling out logbook and not watching. Captain was filling out personal crew log for times off gate. As we passed 9700 ft he realized autoplt was not engaged. We returned to 9000 ft. Clt ATC never asked about our altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DHC-8 OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLB AS PF ASSUMES THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELING FEATURES WILL AUTOMATICALLY LEVEL THE ACFT AT THE PROPER ALT. NO LEVELING FEATURE WAS ENGAGED, THOUGH, AND THE ACFT FLEW ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: AFTER LEVEL OFF I ENGAGED AUTOPLT ON LAST LEG OF A 13 HR DUTY DAY WITH A SHORT OVERNIGHT. I ASKED THE FO WHAT HE HAD FOR TOTAL BLOCK SO FAR TODAY. HIS NUMBERS DID NOT AGREE WITH MINE. I THEN STARTED TO CHK MY NUMBERS AND THEN LOOKED BACK AT THE ADI WHICH SHOWED A L CLBING TURN. I IMMEDIATELY RESUMED CTL OF THE ACFT AND LEVELED OFF AND THEN DSNDED BACK TO 9000 FT. CTR NEVER ASKED ABOUT THE SLIGHT CLB ABOUT 500 FT HIGH. THE AUTOPLT EITHER DIDN'T ENGAGE OR DISCONNECTED. FATIGUE WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS ALT BUST. CTR DIDN'T QUESTION OUR ALT AND I ASSUME IT WENT UNNOTICED. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. NO TCASII TARGET. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 369020: HE RELEASED CTLS THINKING AUTOPLT WAS ON AND WE CLBED THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT. I WAS FILLING OUT LOGBOOK AND NOT WATCHING. CAPT WAS FILLING OUT PERSONAL CREW LOG FOR TIMES OFF GATE. AS WE PASSED 9700 FT HE REALIZED AUTOPLT WAS NOT ENGAGED. WE RETURNED TO 9000 FT. CLT ATC NEVER ASKED ABOUT OUR 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.