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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier large transport cargo flight climbs above its assigned altitude of 11000 ft after the PIC, PNF, gets distracted with a PIREP to center. He then forgets the altitude assigned and asks the first officer if it was 14000 ft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 389990 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199712 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : buf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : czyz |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : czyz enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 389990 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 389394 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On climb out from hamilton airport for philadelphia, PA. We were given a higher altitude which we understood to be 14000 ft. At 13500 ft we were informed by toronto ATC that we were only cleared to 11000 ft. He then cleared us to a higher altitude. Supplemental information from acn 389394: on initial call to toronto center we were given instructions to climb to what I thought was 14000 ft. When center gave climb instructions, I repeated the altitude and then gave him a PIREP on the cloud tops and bases of 6000 ft and 4000 ft and light rime icing. As I started putting the assigned altitude in the altitude reminder, I became uncertain of the proper altitude given and thought it was 14000 ft. I asked the first officer if we were cleared to 14000 ft and he replied that we were. Regardless of what the actual assigned altitude was, I erred in not immediately verifying with ATC when it became apparent that I was unsure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR LGT CARGO FLT CLBS ABOVE ITS ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 FT AFTER THE PIC, PNF, GETS DISTRACTED WITH A PIREP TO CTR. HE THEN FORGETS THE ALT ASSIGNED AND ASKS THE FO IF IT WAS 14000 FT.
Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM HAMILTON ARPT FOR PHILADELPHIA, PA. WE WERE GIVEN A HIGHER ALT WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE 14000 FT. AT 13500 FT WE WERE INFORMED BY TORONTO ATC THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 11000 FT. HE THEN CLRED US TO A HIGHER ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 389394: ON INITIAL CALL TO TORONTO CTR WE WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 14000 FT. WHEN CTR GAVE CLB INSTRUCTIONS, I REPEATED THE ALT AND THEN GAVE HIM A PIREP ON THE CLOUD TOPS AND BASES OF 6000 FT AND 4000 FT AND LIGHT RIME ICING. AS I STARTED PUTTING THE ASSIGNED ALT IN THE ALT REMINDER, I BECAME UNCERTAIN OF THE PROPER ALT GIVEN AND THOUGHT IT WAS 14000 FT. I ASKED THE FO IF WE WERE CLRED TO 14000 FT AND HE REPLIED THAT WE WERE. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ACTUAL ASSIGNED ALT WAS, I ERRED IN NOT IMMEDIATELY VERIFYING WITH ATC WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT I WAS UNSURE.
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.