<< >> NASA ASRS Report 109543, April 1989

Altitude bust.

Attributes
ACN	109543
Time
Date	198904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	109543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed sfo and had been cleared to 7000'. Over oak and while climbing out of 3000' I asked the captain to monitor ATC while I called our times in to company. When I completed this I advised the captain I was back on ATC frequency. He told me he had turned on the anti ice equipment. This was the only change he informed me about. Within seconds bay approach called and asked us to verify level at 4000'. At the time we were climbing through 5000'. I gave the captain a puzzled look. He then remembered that we had been cleared to 4000' (this happened while I was talking to company). He told ATC we were level at 5000'. ATC said, 'roger.' shortly thereafter we were given a frequency change. ATC said nothing about the mistake. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot states that company procedures ask for off time as soon as possible. Counseled pilot in the fact that over oak is not a good area for misdirection of ATC and traffic watch. He agreed and felt he would not indulge in this type activity again under those circumstances.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED SFO AND HAD BEEN CLRED TO 7000'. OVER OAK AND WHILE CLBING OUT OF 3000' I ASKED THE CAPT TO MONITOR ATC WHILE I CALLED OUR TIMES IN TO COMPANY. WHEN I COMPLETED THIS I ADVISED THE CAPT I WAS BACK ON ATC FREQ. HE TOLD ME HE HAD TURNED ON THE ANTI ICE EQUIP. THIS WAS THE ONLY CHANGE HE INFORMED ME ABOUT. WITHIN SECS BAY APCH CALLED AND ASKED US TO VERIFY LEVEL AT 4000'. AT THE TIME WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 5000'. I GAVE THE CAPT A PUZZLED LOOK. HE THEN REMEMBERED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4000' (THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TALKING TO COMPANY). HE TOLD ATC WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000'. ATC SAID, 'ROGER.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. ATC SAID NOTHING ABOUT THE MISTAKE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT STATES THAT COMPANY PROCS ASK FOR OFF TIME ASAP. COUNSELED PLT IN THE FACT THAT OVER OAK IS NOT A GOOD AREA FOR MISDIRECTION OF ATC AND TFC WATCH. HE AGREED AND FELT HE WOULD NOT INDULGE IN THIS TYPE ACTIVITY AGAIN UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.