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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier medium large transport flight crew overshot their altitude by 500 ft before the first officer, PF, corrects back. Captain had been requesting the first officer to 'level off.'
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 396160 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bur airport : lax |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lax |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | departure other departure sid : sid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 35 |
| ASRS Report | 396160 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 396292 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Departing lax to 16000 ft, I engaged the autoplt to level off at 16000 ft. At 16400 ft I noticed the autoplt was not capturing it so I disengaged the autoplt and leveled the aircraft back to 16000 ft. Socal did not say anything but as a precaution I wanted to file the report. Contributing factors: autoplt not holding and pilot not noticing the altimeter earlier. Supplemental information from acn 396292: at approximately 15800 ft, the autoplt indicated 'altitude capture' as normal. However, 'altitude hold' did not engage as expected at 16000 ft but continued to climb at approximately 2000 FPM. I told the first officer to level off, but by the time she reacted, we had passed 16500 ft. Quicker reaction on both pilots' part would be indicated in the future. It is easy to get complacent regarding autoplt operations, and increased vigilance is required.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ALT BY 500 FT BEFORE THE FO, PF, CORRECTS BACK. CAPT HAD BEEN REQUESTING THE FO TO 'LEVEL OFF.'
Narrative: DEPARTING LAX TO 16000 FT, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO LEVEL OFF AT 16000 FT. AT 16400 FT I NOTICED THE AUTOPLT WAS NOT CAPTURING IT SO I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED THE ACFT BACK TO 16000 FT. SOCAL DID NOT SAY ANYTHING BUT AS A PRECAUTION I WANTED TO FILE THE RPT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: AUTOPLT NOT HOLDING AND PLT NOT NOTICING THE ALTIMETER EARLIER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 396292: AT APPROX 15800 FT, THE AUTOPLT INDICATED 'ALT CAPTURE' AS NORMAL. HOWEVER, 'ALT HOLD' DID NOT ENGAGE AS EXPECTED AT 16000 FT BUT CONTINUED TO CLB AT APPROX 2000 FPM. I TOLD THE FO TO LEVEL OFF, BUT BY THE TIME SHE REACTED, WE HAD PASSED 16500 FT. QUICKER REACTION ON BOTH PLTS' PART WOULD BE INDICATED IN THE FUTURE. IT IS EASY TO GET COMPLACENT REGARDING AUTOPLT OPS, AND INCREASED VIGILANCE IS REQUIRED.
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.