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DHC8-200 captain overshot descent intermediate altitude due to programming the heads up display and the display not showing mode selected.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 557205 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sea.airport |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : s46.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 168 flight time total : 11150 flight time type : 2300 |
| ASRS Report | 557205 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : headup guidance sys other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were cleared to 7000 ft, expecting a visual approach into sea airport. I was using the head up guidance system (hgs) for practice. We had 7000 ft selected in the altitude alerter, but I did not have 'altitude sel selected,' so the guidance clue did not level me at 7000 ft. I noticed my altitude bust at 6000 ft, 1000 ft below our assigned altitude. I climbed back to 7000 ft as soon as I realized my mistake. A major factor in this situation is that the hgs does not show if you have 'altitude sel' selected or not. You have to look at the panel to see that. I have heard from other pilots that this is a problem. When using the hgs, you tend to get wrapped up in it and forget to scan the panel for information that the hgs does not show. Another factor is that both myself and the first officer were fatigued from a 4 day trip and only having a 1 hour rest period. A solution would be to modify the hgs symbology and modify the '1000 ft to go' callout to include '1000 ft to go, altitude sel.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DHC8-200 CAPT OVERSHOT DSCNT INTERMEDIATE ALT DUE TO PROGRAMMING THE HEADS UP DISPLAY AND THE DISPLAY NOT SHOWING MODE SELECTED.
Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT, EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH INTO SEA ARPT. I WAS USING THE HEAD UP GUIDANCE SYS (HGS) FOR PRACTICE. WE HAD 7000 FT SELECTED IN THE ALT ALERTER, BUT I DID NOT HAVE 'ALT SEL SELECTED,' SO THE GUIDANCE CLUE DID NOT LEVEL ME AT 7000 FT. I NOTICED MY ALT BUST AT 6000 FT, 1000 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT. I CLBED BACK TO 7000 FT AS SOON AS I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. A MAJOR FACTOR IN THIS SIT IS THAT THE HGS DOES NOT SHOW IF YOU HAVE 'ALT SEL' SELECTED OR NOT. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PANEL TO SEE THAT. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER PLTS THAT THIS IS A PROB. WHEN USING THE HGS, YOU TEND TO GET WRAPPED UP IN IT AND FORGET TO SCAN THE PANEL FOR INFO THAT THE HGS DOES NOT SHOW. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT BOTH MYSELF AND THE FO WERE FATIGUED FROM A 4 DAY TRIP AND ONLY HAVING A 1 HR REST PERIOD. A SOLUTION WOULD BE TO MODIFY THE HGS SYMBOLOGY AND MODIFY THE '1000 FT TO GO' CALLOUT TO INCLUDE '1000 FT TO GO, ALT SEL.'
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.