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Atx pilot overshot his altitude during descent when distraction by one of his passenger in the rear. He starts back up to assigned altitude as the center controller questions his altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 398560 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mwh |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v2 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 113 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 77 |
| ASRS Report | 398560 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented 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:
On my descent into moses lake (grant county airport), my attention was diverted to my passenger in back. I was cleared to descend from 15000 ft to 11000 ft. When my attention was back on my instruments, my altitude was 10000 ft. I immediately climbed back to 11000 ft. As I was correcting, ZSE questioned my altitude and I responded by telling them I was climbing back to 11000 ft. Upon reaching 11000 ft, I reported level at 11000 ft, at which time ZSE handed me off to grant county approach. Besides ZSE questioning my altitude, there was nothing said, and no conflict with other traffic. This is my first occurrence of missing an altitude, and showed me that I must divide my attention more evenly so as not to omit my scanning of instruments.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATX PLT OVERSHOT HIS ALT DURING DSCNT WHEN DISTR BY ONE OF HIS PAX IN THE REAR. HE STARTS BACK UP TO ASSIGNED ALT AS THE CTR CTLR QUESTIONS HIS ALT.
Narrative: ON MY DSCNT INTO MOSES LAKE (GRANT COUNTY ARPT), MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO MY PAX IN BACK. I WAS CLRED TO DSND FROM 15000 FT TO 11000 FT. WHEN MY ATTN WAS BACK ON MY INSTS, MY ALT WAS 10000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 11000 FT. AS I WAS CORRECTING, ZSE QUESTIONED MY ALT AND I RESPONDED BY TELLING THEM I WAS CLBING BACK TO 11000 FT. UPON REACHING 11000 FT, I RPTED LEVEL AT 11000 FT, AT WHICH TIME ZSE HANDED ME OFF TO GRANT COUNTY APCH. BESIDES ZSE QUESTIONING MY ALT, THERE WAS NOTHING SAID, AND NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. THIS IS MY FIRST OCCURRENCE OF MISSING AN ALT, AND SHOWED ME THAT I MUST DIVIDE MY ATTN MORE EVENLY SO AS NOT TO OMIT MY SCANNING OF INSTS.
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.