Altitude deviation on initial climb after long and tedious WX delay.

Attributes
ACN	249070
Time
Date	199308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 50 msl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cmi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	249070
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
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:

A reserve crew was assigned to a continuous duty trip sequence. The crew had 5 hours of rest (behind the door). The flight outbound was scheduled to depart at approximately XA00. At departure time the WX was '0' obscured and '0' visibility (RVR of 1600 ft or 1/4 mi visibility were the legal requirements). Taxi clearance was obtained over 1 hour late with our RVR reported of 4000 ft. Waiting for takeoff clearance the RVR dropped to 700 ft and remained there for the next 90 mins. When the visibility came up to minimums, clearance for takeoff was received. Upon rotation, the anxious passenger responded with loud hoots and a round of applause. This caused a momentary distraction to the PIC. At 400 ft AGL, the PIC commenced with a 40 degree turn to the left. During the turn the PIC noticed about a 75-100 ft drop in altitude and immediately applied corrective action. The first officer later reported a 350 ft drop in altitude in a 3 second time frame. The first officer neglected to make any mandatory callouts, alerting the PIC of any altdevs. Contributing factors: lack of sleep coupled with a long delay and lack of food. Momentary distraction with noise in back. No crew coordination, no callouts from the PNF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON INITIAL CLB AFTER LONG AND TEDIOUS WX DELAY.

Narrative: A RESERVE CREW WAS ASSIGNED TO A CONTINUOUS DUTY TRIP SEQUENCE. THE CREW HAD 5 HRS OF REST (BEHIND THE DOOR). THE FLT OUTBOUND WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT APPROX XA00. AT DEP TIME THE WX WAS '0' OBSCURED AND '0' VISIBILITY (RVR OF 1600 FT OR 1/4 MI VISIBILITY WERE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS). TAXI CLRNC WAS OBTAINED OVER 1 HR LATE WITH OUR RVR RPTED OF 4000 FT. WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC THE RVR DROPPED TO 700 FT AND REMAINED THERE FOR THE NEXT 90 MINS. WHEN THE VISIBILITY CAME UP TO MINIMUMS, CLRNC FOR TKOF WAS RECEIVED. UPON ROTATION, THE ANXIOUS PAX RESPONDED WITH LOUD HOOTS AND A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THIS CAUSED A MOMENTARY DISTR TO THE PIC. AT 400 FT AGL, THE PIC COMMENCED WITH A 40 DEG TURN TO THE L. DURING THE TURN THE PIC NOTICED ABOUT A 75-100 FT DROP IN ALT AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE FO LATER RPTED A 350 FT DROP IN ALT IN A 3 SECOND TIME FRAME. THE FO NEGLECTED TO MAKE ANY MANDATORY CALLOUTS, ALERTING THE PIC OF ANY ALTDEVS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LACK OF SLEEP COUPLED WITH A LONG DELAY AND LACK OF FOOD. MOMENTARY DISTR WITH NOISE IN BACK. NO CREW COORD, NO CALLOUTS FROM THE PNF.

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.