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A DC9-30 flight crew overshoots their assigned altitude while tending to other tasks 45 mi from jfk, ny.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 485580 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : jfk.vor |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17450 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 248 flight time total : 15838 flight time type : 7800 |
| ASRS Report | 485580 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Company Aircraft Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The amber anti-skid warning lights on the annunciator panel are normally illuminated when the parking brake is set on the DC9. Jfk tower cleared us into position and hold on runway 31L. After assuming position on runway 31L I set the parking brake and the anti-skid lights illuminated as normal. After a few seconds 1 anti-skid light extinguished, indicating an abnormality. I had to consider the anti-skid takeoff in case of an abort. Considering that runway 31L was over 14000 ft long I decided to go ahead and takeoff and troubleshoot the anti-skid later. ZNY on 135.65 cleared us to climb to 17000 ft on an assigned heading. At the time we were climbing the copilot was consulting the cockpit operating manual to troubleshoot the anti-skid problem, consequently he did not make the standard 2000 ft to go and 1000 ft to go altitude calls. During the climb I was consulting the en route chart to set up navigation frequencys. Consequently I climbed through 17000 ft to 17450 ft before I caught the mistake and descended to 17000 ft. ZNY reminded us that our assigned altitude was 17000 ft. There are several reasons this excursion occurred. First of all, both of us were momentarily occupied with something other than flying the aircraft. Secondly, this mistake occurred at the end of a difficult 3 day trip which had lengthy WX delays and caused us to be a bit more fatigued than normal.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9-30 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHILE TENDING TO OTHER TASKS 45 MI FROM JFK, NY.
Narrative: THE AMBER ANTI-SKID WARNING LIGHTS ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ARE NORMALLY ILLUMINATED WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS SET ON THE DC9. JFK TWR CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 31L. AFTER ASSUMING POS ON RWY 31L I SET THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE ANTI-SKID LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AS NORMAL. AFTER A FEW SECONDS 1 ANTI-SKID LIGHT EXTINGUISHED, INDICATING AN ABNORMALITY. I HAD TO CONSIDER THE ANTI-SKID TKOF IN CASE OF AN ABORT. CONSIDERING THAT RWY 31L WAS OVER 14000 FT LONG I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND TKOF AND TROUBLESHOOT THE ANTI-SKID LATER. ZNY ON 135.65 CLRED US TO CLB TO 17000 FT ON AN ASSIGNED HEADING. AT THE TIME WE WERE CLBING THE COPLT WAS CONSULTING THE COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ANTI-SKID PROB, CONSEQUENTLY HE DID NOT MAKE THE STANDARD 2000 FT TO GO AND 1000 FT TO GO ALT CALLS. DURING THE CLB I WAS CONSULTING THE ENRTE CHART TO SET UP NAV FREQS. CONSEQUENTLY I CLBED THROUGH 17000 FT TO 17450 FT BEFORE I CAUGHT THE MISTAKE AND DSNDED TO 17000 FT. ZNY REMINDED US THAT OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 17000 FT. THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS THIS EXCURSION OCCURRED. FIRST OF ALL, BOTH OF US WERE MOMENTARILY OCCUPIED WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN FLYING THE ACFT. SECONDLY, THIS MISTAKE OCCURRED AT THE END OF A DIFFICULT 3 DAY TRIP WHICH HAD LENGTHY WX DELAYS AND CAUSED US TO BE A BIT MORE FATIGUED THAN NORMAL.
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.