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Inadvertent disengagement of private small transport twin autoplt leads to loss of control and altitude and heading deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 132663 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199001 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : chs |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15300 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1580 flight time type : 820 |
| ASRS Report | 132663 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control 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:
Autoplt engaged (3 axis), I turned around to assist passenger having some difficulty and must have inadvertently disconnected autoplt. I was alerted of the altitude deviation by ATC, then corrected altitude and heading. There is a warning sound usually for autoplt disconnect but it must not be loud enough if pilot is somewhat distracted by in-flight problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: callback was undertaken to determine the location of the incident, and the extent of altitude and heading deviation. The reporter could not, or would not recall the location, but indicated that as his flight was up the east coast from florida north, the incident probably occurred somewhere over northern florida. The reporter was more specific about other details, indicating that a 300' altitude loss, and a 170 degree heading change were experienced. ATC caught the altitude deviation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INADVERTENT DISENGAGEMENT OF PRIVATE SMT TWIN AUTOPLT LEADS TO LOSS OF CONTROL AND ALT AND HEADING DEVIATION.
Narrative: AUTOPLT ENGAGED (3 AXIS), I TURNED AROUND TO ASSIST PAX HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY AND MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT. I WAS ALERTED OF THE ALT DEVIATION BY ATC, THEN CORRECTED ALT AND HDG. THERE IS A WARNING SOUND USUALLY FOR AUTOPLT DISCONNECT BUT IT MUST NOT BE LOUD ENOUGH IF PLT IS SOMEWHAT DISTRACTED BY INFLT PROBLEMS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CALLBACK WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, AND THE EXTENT OF ALT AND HDG DEVIATION. THE REPORTER COULD NOT, OR WOULD NOT RECALL THE LOCATION, BUT INDICATED THAT AS HIS FLT WAS UP THE EAST COAST FROM FLORIDA NORTH, THE INCIDENT PROBABLY OCCURRED SOMEWHERE OVER NORTHERN FLORIDA. THE REPORTER WAS MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT OTHER DETAILS, INDICATING THAT A 300' ALT LOSS, AND A 170 DEG HDG CHANGE WERE EXPERIENCED. ATC CAUGHT THE ALT DEVIATION.
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.