Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude during vecto...

Attributes
ACN	177458
Time
Date	199105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	177458
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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 on the blue ridge 3 STAR into dfw, we were given vectors to runway 17L. We were given a 190 degree heading 3000' altitude to follow an large transport to 17L. While turning to 190 degrees and looking for the large transport, approach turned us to a 210 degree heading. By this time, we were heading to the 18L and right runways and TCAS was issuing warnings for other aircraft and we disconnected the autoplt to expedite the turn and we climbed roughly 300'. Approach turned us back to intercept 17R final to fly parallel with the large transport, who was going to 17L. No further incident occurred while landing. We found out later that the large transport had a medical emergency which gave them priority and in the process of getting us out of the way it seemed approach momentarily forgot about us. On a seemingly simple approach things can go hectic extremely quickly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT DURING VECTORS TO DFW.

Narrative: INBND ON THE BLUE RIDGE 3 STAR INTO DFW, WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO RWY 17L. WE WERE GIVEN A 190 DEG HDG 3000' ALT TO FOLLOW AN LGT TO 17L. WHILE TURNING TO 190 DEGS AND LOOKING FOR THE LGT, APCH TURNED US TO A 210 DEG HDG. BY THIS TIME, WE WERE HDG TO THE 18L AND R RWYS AND TCAS WAS ISSUING WARNINGS FOR OTHER ACFT AND WE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO EXPEDITE THE TURN AND WE CLBED ROUGHLY 300'. APCH TURNED US BACK TO INTERCEPT 17R FINAL TO FLY PARALLEL WITH THE LGT, WHO WAS GOING TO 17L. NO FURTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE LNDG. WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE LGT HAD A MEDICAL EMER WHICH GAVE THEM PRIORITY AND IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING US OUT OF THE WAY IT SEEMED APCH MOMENTARILY FORGOT ABOUT US. ON A SEEMINGLY SIMPLE APCH THINGS CAN GO HECTIC EXTREMELY QUICKLY.

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.

Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude during vectors to dfw.