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Captain of air carrier widebody transport aircraft deviated from assigned altitude due to turbulence during cruise.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 225688 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199211 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hnl |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zoa |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 225688 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | 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:
On a pacific flex track route during cruise at FL330 en route hnl from fukuoka, japan, we encountered moderate turbulence. We were unable to contact controling agency on HF radio to get higher altitude. Captain who was flying aircraft elected to climb 500 ft to get out of turbulence. He climbed up to 33500 and stayed there approximately 20 min. Turbulence ended as soon as we got to 33500. As soon as we cleared the last thunderstorm I asked the captain if he was going to descend back to 330 and he decided to stay at 33500 for about 15 more mins. I feel it was unsafe to stay at 33500 for so long. I believe better education of the hazards of altdevs, even minor ones could help prevent excursions in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF ACR WDB ACFT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO TURB DURING CRUISE.
Narrative: ON A PACIFIC FLEX TRACK RTE DURING CRUISE AT FL330 ENRTE HNL FROM FUKUOKA, JAPAN, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT CTLING AGENCY ON HF RADIO TO GET HIGHER ALT. CAPT WHO WAS FLYING ACFT ELECTED TO CLB 500 FT TO GET OUT OF TURB. HE CLBED UP TO 33500 AND STAYED THERE APPROX 20 MIN. TURB ENDED AS SOON AS WE GOT TO 33500. AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE LAST TSTM I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WAS GOING TO DSND BACK TO 330 AND HE DECIDED TO STAY AT 33500 FOR ABOUT 15 MORE MINS. I FEEL IT WAS UNSAFE TO STAY AT 33500 FOR SO LONG. I BELIEVE BETTER EDUCATION OF THE HAZARDS OF ALTDEVS, EVEN MINOR ONES COULD HELP PREVENT EXCURSIONS IN THE FUTURE.
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.