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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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2 man crew, on descent, overshot assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 488350 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200010 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : stl.vortac |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : t75.tracon tower : stl.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 488350 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Captain was flying. I was working the radios. We were at 11000 ft MSL last assigned altitude just ending the STAR into stl. We were still with center ATC. I informed the captain I needed to leave the ATC frequency to make the company in-range call and call company maintenance for a minor write-up. The captain was now flying and handling the ATC frequency. I was off talking to company for several mins. When I returned to let the captain know I was back to handle ATC communications again, I noticed we must have been handed off to approach because he switched frequencys and he checked on with approach. During all this, I had the volume on my #1 radio turned down (ATC radio). So when I returned, I did not hear his exchange with approach. They gave us a lower altitude because he dialed 7000 ft MSL into the altitude window. After that, I was back on #1 (ATC) radio, assuming we were cleared to 7000 ft. When we were almost to 7500 ft, the captain asked me to verify with ATC that we were cleared to 7000 ft. I did and ATC said 'no,' we were only cleared to 8000 ft. The captain then immediately climbed back to 8000 ft and nothing more was said by ATC. The rest of the flight was uneventful. Next time I'll try to make company calls earlier before approach duties become very busy. I will also keep volume up slightly so I can monitor both frequencys.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 2 MAN CREW, ON DSCNT, OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING. I WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. WE WERE AT 11000 FT MSL LAST ASSIGNED ALT JUST ENDING THE STAR INTO STL. WE WERE STILL WITH CTR ATC. I INFORMED THE CAPT I NEEDED TO LEAVE THE ATC FREQ TO MAKE THE COMPANY IN-RANGE CALL AND CALL COMPANY MAINT FOR A MINOR WRITE-UP. THE CAPT WAS NOW FLYING AND HANDLING THE ATC FREQ. I WAS OFF TALKING TO COMPANY FOR SEVERAL MINS. WHEN I RETURNED TO LET THE CAPT KNOW I WAS BACK TO HANDLE ATC COMS AGAIN, I NOTICED WE MUST HAVE BEEN HANDED OFF TO APCH BECAUSE HE SWITCHED FREQS AND HE CHKED ON WITH APCH. DURING ALL THIS, I HAD THE VOLUME ON MY #1 RADIO TURNED DOWN (ATC RADIO). SO WHEN I RETURNED, I DID NOT HEAR HIS EXCHANGE WITH APCH. THEY GAVE US A LOWER ALT BECAUSE HE DIALED 7000 FT MSL INTO THE ALT WINDOW. AFTER THAT, I WAS BACK ON #1 (ATC) RADIO, ASSUMING WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT. WHEN WE WERE ALMOST TO 7500 FT, THE CAPT ASKED ME TO VERIFY WITH ATC THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT. I DID AND ATC SAID 'NO,' WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 8000 FT. THE CAPT THEN IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 8000 FT AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID BY ATC. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. NEXT TIME I'LL TRY TO MAKE COMPANY CALLS EARLIER BEFORE APCH DUTIES BECOME VERY BUSY. I WILL ALSO KEEP VOLUME UP SLIGHTLY SO I CAN MONITOR BOTH FREQS.
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.