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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Altitude excursion by an air carrier first officer, who believed there was a traffic conflict during holding at FL330 10 west of mei, ms.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 593554 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200309 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mei.vortac |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : holding |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 9356 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 593554 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Holding on the mei 270 degrees radial, 15 mi legs, right turns at FL330. Captain (me) PNF, inexperienced first officer, PF. In turn back inbound to holding fix. TCASII issued a traffic alert diamond also at FL330, 7-8 mi to our 10 O'clock position, my side. I had traffic in sight and called him out, and watched him as we were turning. Belly up to him. As the aircraft passed behind us, I turned back forward. The first officer had initiated a descent. We were 700 ft below FL330, bottomed out at FL370, then returned to FL330. At no time was there a traffic conflict or loss of separation. At no time was a RA issued by the TCASII. The first officer simply took it upon himself to descend, even though he couldn't see the aircraft. I had it in sight and knew it wasn't a conflict. I explained at length the capabilities of the TCASII system, the necessity of compliance, and possible crew coordination. The first officer was extremely argumentative and uncooperative. First officer's system knowledge and use of advanced system was marginal and inadequate. Due, I believe, to his poor attitude rather than training issues.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALT EXCURSION BY AN ACR FO, WHO BELIEVED THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT DURING HOLDING AT FL330 10 W OF MEI, MS.
Narrative: HOLDING ON THE MEI 270 DEGS RADIAL, 15 MI LEGS, R TURNS AT FL330. CAPT (ME) PNF, INEXPERIENCED FO, PF. IN TURN BACK INBOUND TO HOLDING FIX. TCASII ISSUED A TFC ALERT DIAMOND ALSO AT FL330, 7-8 MI TO OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS, MY SIDE. I HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND CALLED HIM OUT, AND WATCHED HIM AS WE WERE TURNING. BELLY UP TO HIM. AS THE ACFT PASSED BEHIND US, I TURNED BACK FORWARD. THE FO HAD INITIATED A DSCNT. WE WERE 700 FT BELOW FL330, BOTTOMED OUT AT FL370, THEN RETURNED TO FL330. AT NO TIME WAS THERE A TFC CONFLICT OR LOSS OF SEPARATION. AT NO TIME WAS A RA ISSUED BY THE TCASII. THE FO SIMPLY TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO DSND, EVEN THOUGH HE COULDN'T SEE THE ACFT. I HAD IT IN SIGHT AND KNEW IT WASN'T A CONFLICT. I EXPLAINED AT LENGTH THE CAPABILITIES OF THE TCASII SYS, THE NECESSITY OF COMPLIANCE, AND POSSIBLE CREW COORD. THE FO WAS EXTREMELY ARGUMENTATIVE AND UNCOOPERATIVE. FO'S SYS KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF ADVANCED SYS WAS MARGINAL AND INADEQUATE. DUE, I BELIEVE, TO HIS POOR ATTITUDE RATHER THAN TRAINING ISSUES.
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.