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An air carrier medium large transport crew flew a trip at 11000 ft vice the assigned 13000 ft. Nobody noticed until it was time to descend.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 226086 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199211 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : jvl airport : msn |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau tower : dtw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 550 |
| ASRS Report | 226086 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was climbing to cruise altitude. The flight proceeded normally, until ATC gave us a lower altitude of 10000. At that time, I started down to 10000 glanced at the captain moving the altitude alert from a setting of 13000 to 10000. It dawned on me then that I had leveled out at. Why? I don't know why I leveled out at 11000! Neither ATC, nor the captain, said anything. I still can't believe this happened. The flight continued on without incident. I find it strange that neither pilot noticed this altitude error, and ATC did not comment. I believe that complacency and fatigue were factors. We had been on duty since very early that morning, and I think the day was catching up on us. We obviously needed better crew coordination. I've learned from this mistake, and will be extra aware of the situation and what is going on in the airplane. I'll be sure to coordinate altitudes better!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR MLG CREW FLEW A TRIP AT 11000 FT VICE THE ASSIGNED 13000 FT. NOBODY NOTICED UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO DSND.
Narrative: I WAS CLBING TO CRUISE ALT. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY, UNTIL ATC GAVE US A LOWER ALT OF 10000. AT THAT TIME, I STARTED DOWN TO 10000 GLANCED AT THE CAPT MOVING THE ALT ALERT FROM A SETTING OF 13000 TO 10000. IT DAWNED ON ME THEN THAT I HAD LEVELED OUT AT. WHY? I DON'T KNOW WHY I LEVELED OUT AT 11000! NEITHER ATC, NOR THE CAPT, SAID ANYTHING. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED. THE FLT CONTINUED ON WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FIND IT STRANGE THAT NEITHER PLT NOTICED THIS ALT ERROR, AND ATC DID NOT COMMENT. I BELIEVE THAT COMPLACENCY AND FATIGUE WERE FACTORS. WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY SINCE VERY EARLY THAT MORNING, AND I THINK THE DAY WAS CATCHING UP ON US. WE OBVIOUSLY NEEDED BETTER CREW COORD. I'VE LEARNED FROM THIS MISTAKE, AND WILL BE EXTRA AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE AIRPLANE. I'LL BE SURE TO COORDINATE ALTS BETTER!
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.