Crj-200 crew had less than legal separation after the captain did not re-engage the autoplt.

Attributes
ACN	617539
Time
Date	200405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : sinca
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19700 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10300 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	617539
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Miss Distance	vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After turning autoplt off to correct an incorrect turn direction caused by FMS, ATC assigned right turn back into atl after holding. The captain (me) did not re-engage the autoplt. The aircraft began a slow descent that the first officer noticed approximately 300 ft below assigned altitude. During the climb back to altitude, the TCASII set off an RA in the aircraft in the holding pattern above us. Several factors contributed. An aircraft below us in the holding pattern had just been pointed out by the PNF. After starting the climb back to altitude, the TCASII alert caused me to believe I was descending into the aircraft below and increase the rate of climb which resulted in an RA in the aft above. While I believe company procedure is adequate for autoplt disconnect procedure and flying, I will definitely be more aware in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-200 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION AFTER THE CAPT DID NOT RE-ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT.

Narrative: AFTER TURNING AUTOPLT OFF TO CORRECT AN INCORRECT TURN DIRECTION CAUSED BY FMS, ATC ASSIGNED R TURN BACK INTO ATL AFTER HOLDING. THE CAPT (ME) DID NOT RE-ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT. THE ACFT BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT THAT THE FO NOTICED APPROX 300 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. DURING THE CLB BACK TO ALT, THE TCASII SET OFF AN RA IN THE ACFT IN THE HOLDING PATTERN ABOVE US. SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED. AN ACFT BELOW US IN THE HOLDING PATTERN HAD JUST BEEN POINTED OUT BY THE PNF. AFTER STARTING THE CLB BACK TO ALT, THE TCASII ALERT CAUSED ME TO BELIEVE I WAS DSNDING INTO THE ACFT BELOW AND INCREASE THE RATE OF CLB WHICH RESULTED IN AN RA IN THE AFT ABOVE. WHILE I BELIEVE COMPANY PROC IS ADEQUATE FOR AUTOPLT DISCONNECT PROC AND FLYING, I WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE AWARE IN THE FUTURE.

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.