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Air carrier widebody transport descends below assigned altitude when captain mistakes autoplt disconnect for push to talk switch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 151590 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199007 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ilwn airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 11900 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 151590 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Inbound to the airport, we were kept high to cross the airport for an approach to runway 13R. While descending at a good rate and approaching 3000', with the autoplt on, I reached for the push to talk switch on the yoke to answer a call from approach. I accidentally hit the autoplt release switch. I went through 3000' and began to put back pressure on the yoke. I looked at the altimeter and saw 2700'. I climbed back up to 3000' from that point a successful and landing was made. To prevent an occurrence of this nature from happening again, I will return to my basic philosophy of I will fly the airplane and you will talk on the radio. Another thought, I was on the third day of a three day trip. The first two days was large transport a flying. This happened on the first widebody transport B leg. The back pressure is different on the two aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB DESCENDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT WHEN CAPT MISTAKES AUTOPLT DISCONNECT FOR PUSH TO TALK SWITCH.
Narrative: INBND TO THE ARPT, WE WERE KEPT HIGH TO CROSS THE ARPT FOR AN APCH TO RWY 13R. WHILE DSNDING AT A GOOD RATE AND APCHING 3000', WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, I REACHED FOR THE PUSH TO TALK SWITCH ON THE YOKE TO ANSWER A CALL FROM APCH. I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE AUTOPLT RELEASE SWITCH. I WENT THROUGH 3000' AND BEGAN TO PUT BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE. I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER AND SAW 2700'. I CLBED BACK UP TO 3000' FROM THAT POINT A SUCCESSFUL AND LNDG WAS MADE. TO PREVENT AN OCCURRENCE OF THIS NATURE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WILL RETURN TO MY BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF I WILL FLY THE AIRPLANE AND YOU WILL TALK ON THE RADIO. ANOTHER THOUGHT, I WAS ON THE THIRD DAY OF A THREE DAY TRIP. THE FIRST TWO DAYS WAS LGT A FLYING. THIS HAPPENED ON THE FIRST WDB B LEG. THE BACK PRESSURE IS DIFFERENT ON THE TWO ACFT.
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.