Altitude deviatoin during test flight account distraction of test aircraft equipment procedures.

Attributes
ACN	180421
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : spa
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 15500 agl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	180421
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
ASRS Report	181541
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 6/1/91, maintenance completed a heavy maintenance q-chk. The aircraft was on a test flight and was cleared from int direct spa, J37 mgm, J40 mcn direct cae, J75 gso, direct int. This test flight was to check out all flight systems: loss of a and B hydraulics, manual reversion, manual gear extension and alternate flap extension in additional to shutting down engines. After completing all ground checks, we took off on runway 33. We were assigned an altitude of 1600' and cleared direct spa. We asked to stay at an altitude of 1600' and checked some flight controls. While shutting down a and B hydraulics system and checking manual reversion, we lost 500' to 15500'. We were correcting back to 16000' when ZTL asked us what our altitude was. Shortly thereafter we requested a block altitude of 14000-16000. In retrospect we should have: 1) asked to stay north of winston-salem, 2) made it more clear to all controllers we were on a test flight and needed more airspace, and 3) asked for a block altitude. We saw the medium large transport traffic on TCAS and visually.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATOIN DURING TEST FLT ACCOUNT DISTR OF TEST ACFT EQUIPMENT PROCS.

Narrative: ON 6/1/91, MAINT COMPLETED A HEAVY MAINT Q-CHK. THE ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLT AND WAS CLRED FROM INT DIRECT SPA, J37 MGM, J40 MCN DIRECT CAE, J75 GSO, DIRECT INT. THIS TEST FLT WAS TO CHK OUT ALL FLT SYSTEMS: LOSS OF A AND B HYDS, MANUAL REVERSION, MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION AND ALTERNATE FLAP EXTENSION IN ADDITIONAL TO SHUTTING DOWN ENGS. AFTER COMPLETING ALL GND CHKS, WE TOOK OFF ON RWY 33. WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 1600' AND CLRED DIRECT SPA. WE ASKED TO STAY AT AN ALT OF 1600' AND CHKED SOME FLT CTLS. WHILE SHUTTING DOWN A AND B HYDS SYS AND CHKING MANUAL REVERSION, WE LOST 500' TO 15500'. WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO 16000' WHEN ZTL ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE REQUESTED A BLOCK ALT OF 14000-16000. IN RETROSPECT WE SHOULD HAVE: 1) ASKED TO STAY N OF WINSTON-SALEM, 2) MADE IT MORE CLR TO ALL CTLRS WE WERE ON A TEST FLT AND NEEDED MORE AIRSPACE, AND 3) ASKED FOR A BLOCK ALT. WE SAW THE MLG TFC ON TCAS AND VISUALLY.

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.