 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Two corporate pilots with modest high altitude experience were asked to climb to FL430 for traffic. As they approached their cleared altitude their BE40 would not maintain airspeed nor climb and they had to be vectored off course for traffic and were cleared to descend. 7-800 feet were lost in the maneuver as the turn off course was completed with little bank as the stick shaker was active.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1236456 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201502 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZDC.ARTCC |
| State Reference | VA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Beechjet 400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Climb |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60 Flight Crew Total 2900 Flight Crew Type 33 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 6200 Flight Crew Type 900 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Undershoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Speed All Types Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown |
Narrative:
While flying enroute we requested a climb to FL410 to stay above weather along our route. However; the airplane recently transferred ownership so it was not rvsm approved. We advised ATC prior to our climb; and they cleared us to climb non rvsm to FL410. After we switched controllers a few times; washington center asked us to climb to FL430. While in the climb; we noticed our performance deteriorating as we approached the maximum ceiling for the aircraft (FL450). We constantly advised approach that we would need more time to make the climb; and they were fine with the slow climb. Upon reaching our cruise altitude of FL430; the airspeed began dropping and we were only climbing at 100 feet per minute. As we began to level off; the autopilot disengaged and we experienced stick shaker for the first indication of a stall. The pilot flying lowered the nose to prevent a stall; and the aircraft descended 800 feet in the recovery. At this point; we requested FL420 or FL410; but the controller denied it. When we requested a descent to FL280; the controller requested a turn 20 degrees left; but we couldn't turn very quickly with the imminent stall situation. Therefore; we took the turn slowly to be safe.contributing factors - the captain had never flown above Fl410 before and high altitude flight/stalls had never been discussed in any of his training. This was my first trip in the beechjet since I completed my training. Almost all of my training was performed in a simulator below 10;000 feet at low speed flight. Not only was I nervous and overwhelmed with my first trip; but I didn't know what to expect.actions - the captain noticed the stall indication and immediately reacted accordingly. As the pm; I notified ATC immediately.inactions - both of us failed to realize that our poor climb performance would affect our ability to level off; maintain altitude; and cruise in turbulence at high altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Two corporate pilots with modest high altitude experience were asked to climb to FL430 for traffic. As they approached their cleared altitude their BE40 would not maintain airspeed nor climb and they had to be vectored off course for traffic and were cleared to descend. 7-800 feet were lost in the maneuver as the turn off course was completed with little bank as the stick shaker was active.
Narrative: While flying enroute we requested a climb to FL410 to stay above weather along our route. However; the airplane recently transferred ownership so it was not RVSM approved. We advised ATC prior to our climb; and they cleared us to climb non RVSM to FL410. After we switched controllers a few times; Washington Center asked us to climb to FL430. While in the climb; we noticed our performance deteriorating as we approached the maximum ceiling for the aircraft (FL450). We constantly advised approach that we would need more time to make the climb; and they were fine with the slow climb. Upon reaching our cruise altitude of FL430; the airspeed began dropping and we were only climbing at 100 feet per minute. As we began to level off; the autopilot disengaged and we experienced stick shaker for the first indication of a stall. The pilot flying lowered the nose to prevent a stall; and the aircraft descended 800 feet in the recovery. At this point; we requested FL420 or FL410; but the controller denied it. When we requested a descent to FL280; the controller requested a turn 20 degrees left; but we couldn't turn very quickly with the imminent stall situation. Therefore; we took the turn slowly to be safe.Contributing Factors - the captain had never flown above Fl410 before and high altitude flight/stalls had never been discussed in any of his training. This was my first trip in the Beechjet since I completed my training. Almost all of my training was performed in a simulator below 10;000 feet at low speed flight. Not only was I nervous and overwhelmed with my first trip; but I didn't know what to expect.Actions - The captain noticed the stall indication and immediately reacted accordingly. As the PM; I notified ATC immediately.Inactions - both of us failed to realize that our poor climb performance would affect our ability to level off; maintain altitude; and cruise in turbulence at high altitude.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.