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Flight crew of MD82 neglects to arm the altitude alert during climb. There is confusion in the cockpit as to assigned altitude so they query ATC who assigns altitude close to their present altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 393990 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : n90 |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 19500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-82 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 393990 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Altitude alert system was not armed (erroneously) precluding automatic capture of altitude. Both first officer and myself recalled last altitude clearance as 17000 ft. Passing through FL190, autoplt was disconnected. ZNY was queried with regard to altitude clearance and advised aircraft was at FL195. Center responded that we should level off at FL200 and xferred us to another sector. The first officer on 2 previous occasions had failed to properly arm the altitude system. We may have been cleared to FL200, but the fact that the altitude alert system had not been armed raised questions in both of our minds. FL200 was set in the altitude alert window.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF MD82 NEGLECTS TO ARM THE ALT ALERT DURING CLB. THERE IS CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT AS TO ASSIGNED ALT SO THEY QUERY ATC WHO ASSIGNS ALT CLOSE TO THEIR PRESENT ALT.
Narrative: ALT ALERT SYS WAS NOT ARMED (ERRONEOUSLY) PRECLUDING AUTOMATIC CAPTURE OF ALT. BOTH FO AND MYSELF RECALLED LAST ALT CLRNC AS 17000 FT. PASSING THROUGH FL190, AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED. ZNY WAS QUERIED WITH REGARD TO ALT CLRNC AND ADVISED ACFT WAS AT FL195. CTR RESPONDED THAT WE SHOULD LEVEL OFF AT FL200 AND XFERRED US TO ANOTHER SECTOR. THE FO ON 2 PREVIOUS OCCASIONS HAD FAILED TO PROPERLY ARM THE ALT SYS. WE MAY HAVE BEEN CLRED TO FL200, BUT THE FACT THAT THE ALT ALERT SYS HAD NOT BEEN ARMED RAISED QUESTIONS IN BOTH OF OUR MINDS. FL200 WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW.
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.