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Pilot of atx small transport descends 1000' low when turbulence causes him to lose his altimeter post light, and while searching for it on the floor, he descends through 4000' down to 3000'.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 136452 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : buf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : buf tower : bwi |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 136452 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on an IFR flight plan from montreal, quebec to buf, 35-40 DME east of the buf VORTAC and talking to buf approach, I was given clearance to descend to 4000' from 6000'. I acknowledged the clearance and began my descent. As I was descending through 5000' I encountered light turbulence. This turbulence caused the post light illuminating the altimeter to fall out. I then turned on the cabin light to see the altimeter and find the fallen post light. As I did so, I became distracted and descended to 3000' instead of 4000'. As I realized my error, ATC called back to tell me of my error. They then told me to maintain 3000'. Nothing further was said by ATC, and there was no traffic conflict nor was there any other aircraft on the frequency. The WX was good VFR at the time, with 10000' broken and 20 mi visibility. I had the airport rotating beacon in sight at the time of this incident. I did find the fallen post light and replaced it which then functioned normally. My feeling is that occurrences of this nature could be lessened if aircraft ot his nature were to have an altitude alerter with both audio and visibility annunciators as required equipment.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF ATX SMT DESCENDS 1000' LOW WHEN TURBULENCE CAUSES HIM TO LOSE HIS ALTIMETER POST LIGHT, AND WHILE SEARCHING FOR IT ON THE FLOOR, HE DESCENDS THROUGH 4000' DOWN TO 3000'.
Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MONTREAL, QUEBEC TO BUF, 35-40 DME E OF THE BUF VORTAC AND TALKING TO BUF APCH, I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO 4000' FROM 6000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND BEGAN MY DSCNT. AS I WAS DSNDING THROUGH 5000' I ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TURB. THIS TURB CAUSED THE POST LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE ALTIMETER TO FALL OUT. I THEN TURNED ON THE CABIN LIGHT TO SEE THE ALTIMETER AND FIND THE FALLEN POST LIGHT. AS I DID SO, I BECAME DISTRACTED AND DSNDED TO 3000' INSTEAD OF 4000'. AS I REALIZED MY ERROR, ATC CALLED BACK TO TELL ME OF MY ERROR. THEY THEN TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN 3000'. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID BY ATC, AND THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT NOR WAS THERE ANY OTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ. THE WX WAS GOOD VFR AT THE TIME, WITH 10000' BROKEN AND 20 MI VISIBILITY. I HAD THE ARPT ROTATING BEACON IN SIGHT AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. I DID FIND THE FALLEN POST LIGHT AND REPLACED IT WHICH THEN FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. MY FEELING IS THAT OCCURRENCES OF THIS NATURE COULD BE LESSENED IF ACFT OT HIS NATURE WERE TO HAVE AN ALT ALERTER WITH BOTH AUDIO AND VIS ANNUNCIATORS AS REQUIRED EQUIP.
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.