Altitude deviation due to distraction of spilled orange juice.

Attributes
ACN	162472
Time
Date	199011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	162472
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 15002 flight time type : 0
ASRS Report	162355
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain was flying aircraft and during climb out, the angle of aircraft was extremely high. A cup of orange juice spilled from first officer cupholder partly into flight bag and partly on the floor. While first officer was trying to resolve the juice spill, the PF (captain) went through the cleared altitude on the SID of 2500'. When first officer attention was turned back to the instruments, the altitude alert went off and the captain pointed the nose down when reaching 2900'. At this point, the first officer called ewr departure and reported 'leveling off at 2500'.' we were then cleared to a higher altitude of 8000'. I feel this problem was due to first officer's concern over spilled liquids traversing into equipment area below the floor. Another factor was the PF needs to concentrate on flying and leave the PNF to do the other work. Lastly, spill proof cups would definitely be the answer to this and other situations like this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION DUE TO DISTR OF SPILLED ORANGE JUICE.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT AND DURING CLBOUT, THE ANGLE OF ACFT WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. A CUP OF ORANGE JUICE SPILLED FROM F/O CUPHOLDER PARTLY INTO FLT BAG AND PARTLY ON THE FLOOR. WHILE F/O WAS TRYING TO RESOLVE THE JUICE SPILL, THE PF (CAPT) WENT THROUGH THE CLRED ALT ON THE SID OF 2500'. WHEN F/O ATTN WAS TURNED BACK TO THE INSTRUMENTS, THE ALT ALERT WENT OFF AND THE CAPT POINTED THE NOSE DOWN WHEN REACHING 2900'. AT THIS POINT, THE F/O CALLED EWR DEP AND RPTED 'LEVELING OFF AT 2500'.' WE WERE THEN CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT OF 8000'. I FEEL THIS PROB WAS DUE TO F/O'S CONCERN OVER SPILLED LIQUIDS TRAVERSING INTO EQUIP AREA BELOW THE FLOOR. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE PF NEEDS TO CONCENTRATE ON FLYING AND LEAVE THE PNF TO DO THE OTHER WORK. LASTLY, SPILL PROOF CUPS WOULD DEFINITELY BE THE ANSWER TO THIS AND OTHER SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.

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.