<< >> NASA ASRS Report 138070, February 1990

Altitude bust.

Attributes
ACN	138070
Time
Date	199002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	138070
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were flying a nonstandard airplane (to our fleet). The aircraft is on a short 60-day lease from company in england. The fleet aircraft have an altitude alert feature which notifies flight crew 700' prior to level off. This aircraft has an amber light which signifies same, but no chime. Well, we decided to level early to avoid heavy turbulence, and we were cleared to level at 17000. First officer was busy looking in performance manual in search of climb power settings. The aircraft has no tat/EPR gauge. I was looking outside as we broke out between layers. At 15500, trying to navigate around buildups. I climbed through 17000, caught it at 17500, returned to 17000. China went out at 17300! After the bust, not before. No comment from ATC but this points out the danger and inadvisability of having nonstandard cockpits in a company. We rely on habit patterns and there nonconforming cockpits invite confusion and errors. Companies should be required to standardize cockpits.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING A NONSTANDARD AIRPLANE (TO OUR FLEET). THE ACFT IS ON A SHORT 60-DAY LEASE FROM COMPANY IN ENGLAND. THE FLEET ACFT HAVE AN ALT ALERT FEATURE WHICH NOTIFIES FLT CREW 700' PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF. THIS ACFT HAS AN AMBER LIGHT WHICH SIGNIFIES SAME, BUT NO CHIME. WELL, WE DECIDED TO LEVEL EARLY TO AVOID HEAVY TURBULENCE, AND WE WERE CLRED TO LEVEL AT 17000. F/O WAS BUSY LOOKING IN PERFORMANCE MANUAL IN SEARCH OF CLIMB POWER SETTINGS. THE ACFT HAS NO TAT/EPR GAUGE. I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE AS WE BROKE OUT BETWEEN LAYERS. AT 15500, TRYING TO NAVIGATE AROUND BUILDUPS. I CLIMBED THROUGH 17000, CAUGHT IT AT 17500, RETURNED TO 17000. CHINA WENT OUT AT 17300! AFTER THE BUST, NOT BEFORE. NO COMMENT FROM ATC BUT THIS POINTS OUT THE DANGER AND INADVISABILITY OF HAVING NONSTANDARD COCKPITS IN A COMPANY. WE RELY ON HABIT PATTERNS AND THERE NONCONFORMING COCKPITS INVITE CONFUSION AND ERRORS. COMPANIES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO STANDARDIZE COCKPITS.

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.