DC9-10 aircraft at assigned altitude deviation 200 ft while hand flying and looking for traffic.

Attributes
ACN	369000
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	369000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on an initial vector off the milton 1 arrival at 7000 ft MSL, with the captain hand flying, we deviated from our assigned altitude by 200 ft. At the time of the deviation, both of us were looking for traffic ATC advised us of. During the time the captain was recovering the altitude, ny approach stated 'air carrier X, you were assigned 7000 ft.' by the time I responded to the transmission we were level at 7000 ft. There was no further discussion with approach and the flight continued uneventfully. The reason for the deviation was a momentary loss of altitude awareness and not having the airplane on autoplt and high workload. Some segments of the milton arrival are more efficiently flown without the autoplt. This is due to the somewhat slow control of the airplane the autoplt gives. Also, to descend, turn and change engine power, you at times could use a third hand. This is why the captain was hand flying. To prevent this type of occurrence, altitude awareness should be stressed and high pilot workload should be eased. Arrival procedures like the milton 1 should be revised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-10 ACFT AT ASSIGNED ALTDEV 200 FT WHILE HAND FLYING AND LOOKING FOR TFC.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN INITIAL VECTOR OFF THE MILTON 1 ARR AT 7000 FT MSL, WITH THE CAPT HAND FLYING, WE DEVIATED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT BY 200 FT. AT THE TIME OF THE DEV, BOTH OF US WERE LOOKING FOR TFC ATC ADVISED US OF. DURING THE TIME THE CAPT WAS RECOVERING THE ALT, NY APCH STATED 'ACR X, YOU WERE ASSIGNED 7000 FT.' BY THE TIME I RESPONDED TO THE XMISSION WE WERE LEVEL AT 7000 FT. THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH APCH AND THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. THE REASON FOR THE DEV WAS A MOMENTARY LOSS OF ALT AWARENESS AND NOT HAVING THE AIRPLANE ON AUTOPLT AND HIGH WORKLOAD. SOME SEGMENTS OF THE MILTON ARR ARE MORE EFFICIENTLY FLOWN WITHOUT THE AUTOPLT. THIS IS DUE TO THE SOMEWHAT SLOW CTL OF THE AIRPLANE THE AUTOPLT GIVES. ALSO, TO DSND, TURN AND CHANGE ENG PWR, YOU AT TIMES COULD USE A THIRD HAND. THIS IS WHY THE CAPT WAS HAND FLYING. TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE, ALT AWARENESS SHOULD BE STRESSED AND HIGH PLT WORKLOAD SHOULD BE EASED. ARR PROCS LIKE THE MILTON 1 SHOULD BE REVISED.

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.