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After an unexpected temperature increase, a C650 crew experienced performance difficulties dut to the aircraft gross weight and conditions.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 544695 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : cim.vortac |
| Altitude | msl single value : 45000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Citation III, VI, VII |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j96.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 544695 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 27000 vertical : 2000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Event/situation: approximately 1 hour into the flight, cruising at FL430, ZAB instructed us to descend to a lower altitude for traffic. We requested a higher altitude due to WX and fuel planning concerns. We were then instructed to climb to FL450. Approximately 5 mins after leveling off at FL450, we encountered progressively unexpected higher outside air temperatures. Concerned with the aircraft's decreased performance, we requested a lower altitude with ZAB. ZAB advised us they would have a lower altitude in 5 mins. After the second request for a lower altitude we requested a vector to get a lower altitude sooner. At that point the aircraft performance was deteriorating rapidly due to higher outside air temperature and was slowly unable to maintain altitude. ZAB advised us that we had lower traffic at FL430 in our 1 O'clock position. We were given a lower altitude with a 20 degree left heading vector. We were aware of the lower traffic indicated on our TCASII and center's advisory. At no point did we have a traffic alert or RA on our TCASII. My first officer and I called ZAB shortly after landing and discussed the situation. ZAB informed us that they are required to have a 5 mi separation between aircraft and that we were within approximately 4.5 mi from the other aircraft. I believe a combination of events led up to this situation. Encountering unexpected and progressively higher ambient air temperatures at cruise altitude caused a slow degrading effect of aircraft performance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AFTER AN UNEXPECTED TEMP INCREASE, A C650 CREW EXPERIENCED PERFORMANCE DIFFICULTIES DUT TO THE ACFT GROSS WT AND CONDITIONS.
Narrative: EVENT/SIT: APPROX 1 HR INTO THE FLT, CRUISING AT FL430, ZAB INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT FOR TFC. WE REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT DUE TO WX AND FUEL PLANNING CONCERNS. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO FL450. APPROX 5 MINS AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL450, WE ENCOUNTERED PROGRESSIVELY UNEXPECTED HIGHER OUTSIDE AIR TEMPS. CONCERNED WITH THE ACFT'S DECREASED PERFORMANCE, WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT WITH ZAB. ZAB ADVISED US THEY WOULD HAVE A LOWER ALT IN 5 MINS. AFTER THE SECOND REQUEST FOR A LOWER ALT WE REQUESTED A VECTOR TO GET A LOWER ALT SOONER. AT THAT POINT THE ACFT PERFORMANCE WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY DUE TO HIGHER OUTSIDE AIR TEMP AND WAS SLOWLY UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. ZAB ADVISED US THAT WE HAD LOWER TFC AT FL430 IN OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. WE WERE GIVEN A LOWER ALT WITH A 20 DEG L HEADING VECTOR. WE WERE AWARE OF THE LOWER TFC INDICATED ON OUR TCASII AND CTR'S ADVISORY. AT NO POINT DID WE HAVE A TFC ALERT OR RA ON OUR TCASII. MY FO AND I CALLED ZAB SHORTLY AFTER LNDG AND DISCUSSED THE SIT. ZAB INFORMED US THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 5 MI SEPARATION BTWN ACFT AND THAT WE WERE WITHIN APPROX 4.5 MI FROM THE OTHER ACFT. I BELIEVE A COMBINATION OF EVENTS LED UP TO THIS SIT. ENCOUNTERING UNEXPECTED AND PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER AMBIENT AIR TEMPS AT CRUISE ALT CAUSED A SLOW DEGRADING EFFECT OF ACFT PERFORMANCE.
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.