A widebody transport flying over the south pacific in nttt airspace, starts to climb to a higher alt...

Attributes
ACN	428203
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30700 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	428203
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Just after making a position report through cpdlc to tahiti we received clearance to climb from FL310 to FL330 followed by a request for another position report. We followed SOP and entered FL330 in the mode control panel then the PF selected vertical speed for the climb. I (PNF) then prepared to send another position report in the FMC (heads down). The PF then offered to send the report and did so in a hurried fashion. As he sent the report I noticed the altitude readout on the report was 30700 ft instead of FL310 or higher. I immediately looked at the altimeter and confirmed he (PF) had inadvertently entered a descent instead of a climb. I immediately changed the vertical speed to a climb and we climbed to our assigned altitude of FL330. There was no conflict with any traffic. Contributing factors include: 1) fatigue. We were nearing our end of time at station. Flight had departed lax at approximately XX00 pm local time. We were approximately 5 1/2 hours into flight. 2) cockpit distraction. A flight attendant had just entered the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WDB FLYING OVER THE SOUTH PACIFIC IN NTTT AIRSPACE, STARTS TO CLB TO A HIGHER ALT, BUT, DSNDS 300 FT INSTEAD.

Narrative: JUST AFTER MAKING A POS RPT THROUGH CPDLC TO TAHITI WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CLB FROM FL310 TO FL330 FOLLOWED BY A REQUEST FOR ANOTHER POS RPT. WE FOLLOWED SOP AND ENTERED FL330 IN THE MODE CTL PANEL THEN THE PF SELECTED VERT SPD FOR THE CLB. I (PNF) THEN PREPARED TO SEND ANOTHER POS RPT IN THE FMC (HEADS DOWN). THE PF THEN OFFERED TO SEND THE RPT AND DID SO IN A HURRIED FASHION. AS HE SENT THE RPT I NOTICED THE ALT READOUT ON THE RPT WAS 30700 FT INSTEAD OF FL310 OR HIGHER. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER AND CONFIRMED HE (PF) HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A DSCNT INSTEAD OF A CLB. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE VERT SPD TO A CLB AND WE CLBED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF FL330. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY TFC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE: 1) FATIGUE. WE WERE NEARING OUR END OF TIME AT STATION. FLT HAD DEPARTED LAX AT APPROX XX00 PM LCL TIME. WE WERE APPROX 5 1/2 HRS INTO FLT. 2) COCKPIT DISTR. A FLT ATTENDANT HAD JUST ENTERED THE COCKPIT.

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.

A widebody transport flying over the south pacific in nttt airspace, starts to climb to a higher altitude, but, descends 300 ft instead.