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Flight crew of advanced widebody transport failed to program FMC for descent, aircraft continued climb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 197036 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199112 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : jax |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time total : 7050 |
| ASRS Report | 197036 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were rapidly climbing (2500 FPM) through FL290 when we had been cleared to FL310. We decided to go back down to FL280 to take advantage of lighter headwinds. The captain was flying and I set our new cleared altitude of 28000 in the altitude window. The captain assumed the plane would now descend to that altitude, but instead it continued to climb because we had not reprogrammed the FMC. With the autoplt still engaged the aircraft continued to climb and eventually leveled at FL315 with ATC asking what our altitude was. We then descended uneventfully back to our cleared altitude of FL280. Obviously this incident was caused by an over reliance in automation. All this computer crap is wonderful -- but it still takes you 'out of the loop' and you assume all is well. My solution on my legs that I fly is to hand fly the aircraft from takeoff to cruise altitude level off and then back down again. I only use the autoplt in cruise unless I am tired. I am a 'computer nut' and I love the automation -- but I can still fly a hell of a lot smoother and I can anticipate. The computer has many shortcomings, but we are taught to fly by computer. This practice is dangerous and poorly thought out. Thanks for your excellent callback publication and a great system to help all pilots.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF ADVANCED WDB FAILED TO PROGRAM FMC FOR DSCNT, ACFT CONTINUED CLB.
Narrative: WE WERE RAPIDLY CLBING (2500 FPM) THROUGH FL290 WHEN WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL310. WE DECIDED TO GO BACK DOWN TO FL280 TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LIGHTER HEADWINDS. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND I SET OUR NEW CLRED ALT OF 28000 IN THE ALT WINDOW. THE CAPT ASSUMED THE PLANE WOULD NOW DSND TO THAT ALT, BUT INSTEAD IT CONTINUED TO CLB BECAUSE WE HAD NOT REPROGRAMMED THE FMC. WITH THE AUTOPLT STILL ENGAGED THE ACFT CONTINUED TO CLB AND EVENTUALLY LEVELED AT FL315 WITH ATC ASKING WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE THEN DSNDED UNEVENTFULLY BACK TO OUR CLRED ALT OF FL280. OBVIOUSLY THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY AN OVER RELIANCE IN AUTOMATION. ALL THIS COMPUTER CRAP IS WONDERFUL -- BUT IT STILL TAKES YOU 'OUT OF THE LOOP' AND YOU ASSUME ALL IS WELL. MY SOLUTION ON MY LEGS THAT I FLY IS TO HAND FLY THE ACFT FROM TKOF TO CRUISE ALT LEVEL OFF AND THEN BACK DOWN AGAIN. I ONLY USE THE AUTOPLT IN CRUISE UNLESS I AM TIRED. I AM A 'COMPUTER NUT' AND I LOVE THE AUTOMATION -- BUT I CAN STILL FLY A HELL OF A LOT SMOOTHER AND I CAN ANTICIPATE. THE COMPUTER HAS MANY SHORTCOMINGS, BUT WE ARE TAUGHT TO FLY BY COMPUTER. THIS PRACTICE IS DANGEROUS AND POORLY THOUGHT OUT. THANKS FOR YOUR EXCELLENT CALLBACK PUBLICATION AND A GREAT SYS TO HELP ALL PLTS.
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.