A B727 captain descends below his assigned altitude during an evasive maneuver for climbing traffic ...

Attributes
ACN	452840
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7650 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : m98.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : m98.tracon
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	452840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 8000 vertical : 650
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our clearance was to cross fcm VOR at 8000 ft. At approximately 8300-8400 ft, ATC issued TA at 10 O'clock position, climbing. We were descending at 500-700 FPM. I was hand flying the aircraft and just before leveling, a TCASII RA of 'reduce descent' was annunciated. Our assigned heading after fcm VOR was 115 degrees, so I quickly banked to 30 degrees of bank to aid in reducing closure rate and in the process I did not apply sufficient back pressure and consequently descended 300-350 ft below 8000 ft. ATC then advised us to maintain 8000 ft. I had my first officer tell ATC that we had a TCASII RA. The RA lasted less than 10 seconds, and we were clear of traffic. I was below 8000 ft less than 20 seconds. Contributing factors: minimum rest period the previous night. The first officer and myself did not have a good sleep period. Our duty day was 12 hours, 22 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CAPT DSNDS BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT DURING AN EVASIVE MANEUVER FOR CLBING TFC NEAR FCM, MN.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC WAS TO CROSS FCM VOR AT 8000 FT. AT APPROX 8300-8400 FT, ATC ISSUED TA AT 10 O'CLOCK POS, CLBING. WE WERE DSNDING AT 500-700 FPM. I WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND JUST BEFORE LEVELING, A TCASII RA OF 'REDUCE DSCNT' WAS ANNUNCIATED. OUR ASSIGNED HDG AFTER FCM VOR WAS 115 DEGS, SO I QUICKLY BANKED TO 30 DEGS OF BANK TO AID IN REDUCING CLOSURE RATE AND IN THE PROCESS I DID NOT APPLY SUFFICIENT BACK PRESSURE AND CONSEQUENTLY DSNDED 300-350 FT BELOW 8000 FT. ATC THEN ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT. I HAD MY FO TELL ATC THAT WE HAD A TCASII RA. THE RA LASTED LESS THAN 10 SECONDS, AND WE WERE CLR OF TFC. I WAS BELOW 8000 FT LESS THAN 20 SECONDS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MINIMUM REST PERIOD THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THE FO AND MYSELF DID NOT HAVE A GOOD SLEEP PERIOD. OUR DUTY DAY WAS 12 HRS, 22 MINS.

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 B727 captain descends below his assigned altitude during an evasive maneuver for climbing traffic near fcm, mn.