<< >> NASA ASRS Report 113556, June 1989

Altitude deviation occurred when airspeed assigned was taken for change of altitude. One pilot off frequency.

Attributes
ACN	113556
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 19700 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	113556
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On center control, a clearance was received which I thought was a climb to 290. This was read back and center advised the clearance was 190. After leveling at 190, the center advised we could maintain 290 or greater. At this time the copilot was talking to company and listening to the ATIS information. I misunderstood the increase in airspeed as a climb to 290. A climb to 290 was started. At 19,300' the altitude alert sounded. The copilot did not realize we started a climb and did not reset the altitude. The question at this point did we have a clearance to 290 or were we off our altitude? At this point the autoplt was disconnected and a descent to 190 started. When the descent was started I showed an altitude 19,400'. At this point center asked what our altitude was. We were back at 190 and advised center level 190. They advised they showed a deviation to 19,600. However, when we were level at 190 center showed us at 19,400 still. Nothing else was said. This route has a very high workload for a 2-MAN crew. With all the radio work between company and ATC both pilots are not always listening to the same radio to verify ATC clrncs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION OCCURRED WHEN AIRSPEED ASSIGNED WAS TAKEN FOR CHANGE OF ALT. ONE PLT OFF FREQ.

Narrative: ON CENTER CONTROL, A CLRNC WAS RECEIVED WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A CLIMB TO 290. THIS WAS READ BACK AND CENTER ADVISED THE CLRNC WAS 190. AFTER LEVELING AT 190, THE CENTER ADVISED WE COULD MAINTAIN 290 OR GREATER. AT THIS TIME THE COPLT WAS TALKING TO COMPANY AND LISTENING TO THE ATIS INFO. I MISUNDERSTOOD THE INCREASE IN AIRSPEED AS A CLIMB TO 290. A CLIMB TO 290 WAS STARTED. AT 19,300' THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED. THE COPLT DID NOT REALIZE WE STARTED A CLIMB AND DID NOT RESET THE ALT. THE QUESTION AT THIS POINT DID WE HAVE A CLRNC TO 290 OR WERE WE OFF OUR ALT? AT THIS POINT THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND A DSCNT TO 190 STARTED. WHEN THE DSCNT WAS STARTED I SHOWED AN ALT 19,400'. AT THIS POINT CENTER ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE WERE BACK AT 190 AND ADVISED CENTER LEVEL 190. THEY ADVISED THEY SHOWED A DEVIATION TO 19,600. HOWEVER, WHEN WE WERE LEVEL AT 190 CENTER SHOWED US AT 19,400 STILL. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. THIS ROUTE HAS A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD FOR A 2-MAN CREW. WITH ALL THE RADIO WORK BETWEEN COMPANY AND ATC BOTH PLTS ARE NOT ALWAYS LISTENING TO THE SAME RADIO TO VERIFY ATC CLRNCS.

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.