<< >> NASA ASRS Report 205383, March 1992

Altitude bust.

Attributes
ACN	205383
Time
Date	199203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	205383
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

Climbing northbound from iad, we were cleared to 11000 ft. Went through 11000 to 11900 when ATC asked what altitude we were climbing to. I was PF and this was my second line trip after upgrading to captain and transition to new type. We went through 11000 as I was checking climb power charts. Earlier in the climb while wanting to engage the autoplt, I pushed the approach mode button on the flight director instead. I believe I did this because the approach mode button is marked 'app' and the autoplt engage button is marked 'ap' and the buttons are beside each other. In the process of re-engaging heading hold and the autoplt, the altitude preselect was disengaged. I believe a combination of being new to the type of aircraft and being a new captain were the primary cause of this incident. Greater altitude awareness, double checking all flight director and autoplt modes, and using the PNF to read charts during climb and descent would prevent a recurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: CLBING NBOUND FROM IAD, WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT. WENT THROUGH 11000 TO 11900 WHEN ATC ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE CLBING TO. I WAS PF AND THIS WAS MY SECOND LINE TRIP AFTER UPGRADING TO CAPT AND TRANSITION TO NEW TYPE. WE WENT THROUGH 11000 AS I WAS CHKING CLB PWR CHARTS. EARLIER IN THE CLB WHILE WANTING TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT, I PUSHED THE APCH MODE BUTTON ON THE FLT DIRECTOR INSTEAD. I BELIEVE I DID THIS BECAUSE THE APCH MODE BUTTON IS MARKED 'APP' AND THE AUTOPLT ENGAGE BUTTON IS MARKED 'AP' AND THE BUTTONS ARE BESIDE EACH OTHER. IN THE PROCESS OF RE-ENGAGING HDG HOLD AND THE AUTOPLT, THE ALT PRESELECT WAS DISENGAGED. I BELIEVE A COMBINATION OF BEING NEW TO THE TYPE OF ACFT AND BEING A NEW CAPT WERE THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. GREATER ALT AWARENESS, DOUBLE CHKING ALL FLT DIRECTOR AND AUTOPLT MODES, AND USING THE PNF TO READ CHARTS DURING CLB AND DSCNT WOULD PREVENT A RECURRENCE.

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.