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DC9 crew inbound to dtw and captain flying descending to 12000 ft. Approaching assigned altitude, first officer calls 2000 ft to go, then 1000 ft to go. The captain descended to 11500 ft before responding on the controls.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411870 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dtw |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dtw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 411870 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On the arrival into dtw, the captain was flying the cetus arrival. We were given cetus at 12000 ft. All standard callouts were made, '2000 ft to go,' '1000 ft to go,' etc. The captain acknowledged the callouts as if he was going to level at 12000 ft, but continued his descent. I called the altitude deviation and, at first, he made no response. I then called the altitude again, this time he responded and promptly returned to 12000 ft, after we descended to 11500 ft. We called approach and told them of the deviation and they replied, 'no problem, descend and maintain 11000 ft.' I believe the major cause of this situation was the captain had just upgraded to DC9 captain. He previously was an airbus 320 first officer. In the airbus the altitude would automatically capture, in the DC9 it doesn't. I should also have been more assertive in starting corrective action.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DC9 CREW INBOUND TO DTW AND CAPT FLYING DSNDING TO 12000 FT. APCHING ASSIGNED ALT, FO CALLS 2000 FT TO GO, THEN 1000 FT TO GO. THE CAPT DSNDED TO 11500 FT BEFORE RESPONDING ON THE CTLS.
Narrative: ON THE ARR INTO DTW, THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE CETUS ARR. WE WERE GIVEN CETUS AT 12000 FT. ALL STANDARD CALLOUTS WERE MADE, '2000 FT TO GO,' '1000 FT TO GO,' ETC. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALLOUTS AS IF HE WAS GOING TO LEVEL AT 12000 FT, BUT CONTINUED HIS DSCNT. I CALLED THE ALTDEV AND, AT FIRST, HE MADE NO RESPONSE. I THEN CALLED THE ALT AGAIN, THIS TIME HE RESPONDED AND PROMPTLY RETURNED TO 12000 FT, AFTER WE DSNDED TO 11500 FT. WE CALLED APCH AND TOLD THEM OF THE DEV AND THEY REPLIED, 'NO PROB, DSND AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT.' I BELIEVE THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS SIT WAS THE CAPT HAD JUST UPGRADED TO DC9 CAPT. HE PREVIOUSLY WAS AN AIRBUS 320 FO. IN THE AIRBUS THE ALT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CAPTURE, IN THE DC9 IT DOESN'T. I SHOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE IN STARTING CORRECTIVE ACTION.
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.