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Captain of a DC9 overshot assigned descent altitude due to not properly positioning the vertical speed wheel in its detent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 468060 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200003 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : dqn.vortac |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23750 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 468060 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Descending 500 FPM from FL250 to FL240. Was distraction by flight attendant entering cockpit as we were leveling off. I either didn't verify vertical speed wheel in the detent or missed it. I noticed altitude about 250 ft low on captain's barometric altimeter and corrected back immediately. No excuse, distrs -- however small and frequent -- must be dealt with every time! In retrospect, I should have been extra alert to distrs as it was early and I had not slept well in the hotel the previous night and felt fatigued. I recognize fatigue as one of a pilot's greatest threats and frequent obstacles to overcome.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A DC9 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DSCNT ALT DUE TO NOT PROPERLY POSITIONING THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN ITS DETENT.
Narrative: DSNDING 500 FPM FROM FL250 TO FL240. WAS DISTR BY FLT ATTENDANT ENTERING COCKPIT AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF. I EITHER DIDN'T VERIFY VERT SPD WHEEL IN THE DETENT OR MISSED IT. I NOTICED ALT ABOUT 250 FT LOW ON CAPT'S BAROMETRIC ALTIMETER AND CORRECTED BACK IMMEDIATELY. NO EXCUSE, DISTRS -- HOWEVER SMALL AND FREQUENT -- MUST BE DEALT WITH EVERY TIME! IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRA ALERT TO DISTRS AS IT WAS EARLY AND I HAD NOT SLEPT WELL IN THE HOTEL THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND FELT FATIGUED. I RECOGNIZE FATIGUE AS ONE OF A PLT'S GREATEST THREATS AND FREQUENT OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME.
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.