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Cleared descent from FL370 to FL330, first officer (flying) mistakenly set 13000' in the altitude alerter, then descended as low as FL300.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 143028 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199004 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sdf |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 143028 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 143264 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot 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:
At approximately 150 DME FL370 to FL330 at 130 DME from mys restriction. It was PF (first officer) misunderstood clearance and thought it was to descend to 13000'. Captain was out of seat talking to F/east at the time, and caught the descent error at FL310. Center controller then gave clearance to FL290. No conflict noted. The misunderstanding of the descent clearance was caused partially because there is no DME on mys. When PF questioned the controller, the reply was to begin descent now. The captain being out of his seat discussing a problem with the second officer prevented the normal xchk, since both other crew member's attention was diverted from the descent when it was begun. Supplemental information from acn 143264. I checked my altitude at approximately FL300 in a descent. I leveled, realizing that I had mistakenly set 13000' in the altitude alert.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CLEARED DESCENT FROM FL370 TO FL330, FO (FLYING) MISTAKENLY SET 13000' IN THE ALT ALERTER, THEN DESCENDED AS LOW AS FL300.
Narrative: AT APPROX 150 DME FL370 TO FL330 AT 130 DME FROM MYS RESTRICTION. IT WAS PF (F/O) MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC AND THOUGHT IT WAS TO DSND TO 13000'. CAPT WAS OUT OF SEAT TALKING TO F/E AT THE TIME, AND CAUGHT THE DSNT ERROR AT FL310. CTR CTLR THEN GAVE CLRNC TO FL290. NO CONFLICT NOTED. THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE DSNT CLRNC WAS CAUSED PARTIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO DME ON MYS. WHEN PF QUESTIONED THE CTLR, THE REPLY WAS TO BEGIN DSNT NOW. THE CAPT BEING OUT OF HIS SEAT DISCUSSING A PROB WITH THE S/O PREVENTED THE NORMAL XCHK, SINCE BOTH OTHER CREW MEMBER'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED FROM THE DSNT WHEN IT WAS BEGUN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 143264. I CHKED MY ALT AT APPROX FL300 IN A DSNT. I LEVELED, REALIZING THAT I HAD MISTAKENLY SET 13000' IN THE ALT ALERT.
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.