An ERJ145 flight crew temporarily lost aircraft control when the autoplt disengaged.

Attributes
ACN	582543
Time
Date	200305
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	582543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	581788
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed on the (hornet 1 departure) procedure out of clt. We were cleared by ATC to turn to a 310 degree heading and climb and maintain 8000 ft. As we were joining the (haray) transition, the autoplt disengaged unexpectedly as we were setting up the FMS to join our assigned routing. Consequently, the first officer proceeded to hand fly the aircraft, but lost situational awareness due to the distraction of losing the autoplt, and descended to 6000 ft before stabilizing the control of the aircraft. Once stabilized, the autoplt disengaged again. We, therefore, manually flew the aircraft to our next assigned altitude of 14000 ft, and managed to re-engage the autoplt again without further incident. The reason for loss of control was due to task loading caused by the automation failure, which lead to momentary confusion. I was also task loaded by ATC and analyzing our automation interruption. We continued to our destination (ZZZ) without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERJ145 FLT CREW TEMPORARILY LOST ACFT CTL WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ON THE (HORNET 1 DEP) PROC OUT OF CLT. WE WERE CLRED BY ATC TO TURN TO A 310 DEG HDG AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. AS WE WERE JOINING THE (HARAY) TRANSITION, THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED UNEXPECTEDLY AS WE WERE SETTING UP THE FMS TO JOIN OUR ASSIGNED RTING. CONSEQUENTLY, THE FO PROCEEDED TO HAND FLY THE ACFT, BUT LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS DUE TO THE DISTR OF LOSING THE AUTOPLT, AND DSNDED TO 6000 FT BEFORE STABILIZING THE CTL OF THE ACFT. ONCE STABILIZED, THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED AGAIN. WE, THEREFORE, MANUALLY FLEW THE ACFT TO OUR NEXT ASSIGNED ALT OF 14000 FT, AND MANAGED TO RE-ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT AGAIN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE REASON FOR LOSS OF CTL WAS DUE TO TASK LOADING CAUSED BY THE AUTOMATION FAILURE, WHICH LEAD TO MOMENTARY CONFUSION. I WAS ALSO TASK LOADED BY ATC AND ANALYZING OUR AUTOMATION INTERRUPTION. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DEST (ZZZ) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.