Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude as PIC turns back on course from a heading deviation.

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Attributes
ACN	193875
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fak
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000
ASRS Report	193875
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 11 controller supervisory : 8 flight time total : 9500
ASRS Report	193805
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Directed by ATC to reduce to slowest speed in cruise for sequence into nyc. Captain pulled up holding page on FMC to check the slowest speed at FL370. Captain returned to cruise page and pressed 'execute' not clearing previously the 'holding page.' I was checking and setting arrival page when captain executed holding not telling me about his action. When I returned to the legs page I noticed pps holding and airplane in turn for about 80 degrees from the fpl course. I questioned captain about his action when he disconnected autoplt and started correcting his error. During that turn airplane gained about 700 ft above assigned altitude. ATC controller questioned our heading and we told him that we are correcting altitude and heading due to unintentional execution of pps holding. I was PF and captain should have coordinated any maneuvers or action, so we could have avoided unintentional deviation from course and altitude. I blame poor crew coordination for this incident. Also, there was no need to disconnect autoplt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALTDEV EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT AS PIC TURNS BACK ON COURSE FROM A HDG DEV.

Narrative: DIRECTED BY ATC TO REDUCE TO SLOWEST SPD IN CRUISE FOR SEQUENCE INTO NYC. CAPT PULLED UP HOLDING PAGE ON FMC TO CHK THE SLOWEST SPD AT FL370. CAPT RETURNED TO CRUISE PAGE AND PRESSED 'EXECUTE' NOT CLRING PREVIOUSLY THE 'HOLDING PAGE.' I WAS CHKING AND SETTING ARR PAGE WHEN CAPT EXECUTED HOLDING NOT TELLING ME ABOUT HIS ACTION. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE LEGS PAGE I NOTICED PPS HOLDING AND AIRPLANE IN TURN FOR ABOUT 80 DEGS FROM THE FPL COURSE. I QUESTIONED CAPT ABOUT HIS ACTION WHEN HE DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND STARTED CORRECTING HIS ERROR. DURING THAT TURN AIRPLANE GAINED ABOUT 700 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT. ATC CTLR QUESTIONED OUR HDG AND WE TOLD HIM THAT WE ARE CORRECTING ALT AND HDG DUE TO UNINTENTIONAL EXECUTION OF PPS HOLDING. I WAS PF AND CAPT SHOULD HAVE COORDINATED ANY MANEUVERS OR ACTION, SO WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED UNINTENTIONAL DEV FROM COURSE AND ALT. I BLAME POOR CREW COORD FOR THIS INCIDENT. ALSO, THERE WAS NO NEED TO DISCONNECT AUTOPLT.

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.