Widebody transport PIC elects to not climb to assigned altitude account expectations that the turbulence encountered in climb would exceed the moderate levels experienced. Potential conflict less than standard separation while maintaining visual and TCASII separation with same direction traffic.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	259615
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	259614
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 42000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC requested we climb from FL370 to FL390. We were told to report level at FL390. During the climb, turbulence became moderate and was increasing. It became evident that it would be impossible to safely continue the climb to FL390. As turbulence increased, the climb was stopped and ATC was advised (via commercial radio) that we would have to return to FL370. TCASII indicated that another flight below us had climbed to FL370. We maintained FL380 until ATC was able to reclr us to FL370. Using TCASII and visual contact, we determined the other aircraft was no closer than 7 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB PIC ELECTS TO NOT CLB TO ASSIGNED ALT ACCOUNT EXPECTATIONS THAT THE TURB ENCOUNTERED IN CLB WOULD EXCEED THE MODERATE LEVELS EXPERIENCED. POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL AND TCASII SEPARATION WITH SAME DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: ATC REQUESTED WE CLB FROM FL370 TO FL390. WE WERE TOLD TO RPT LEVEL AT FL390. DURING THE CLB, TURB BECAME MODERATE AND WAS INCREASING. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY CONTINUE THE CLB TO FL390. AS TURB INCREASED, THE CLB WAS STOPPED AND ATC WAS ADVISED (VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO) THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO FL370. TCASII INDICATED THAT ANOTHER FLT BELOW US HAD CLBED TO FL370. WE MAINTAINED FL380 UNTIL ATC WAS ABLE TO RECLR US TO FL370. USING TCASII AND VISUAL CONTACT, WE DETERMINED THE OTHER ACFT WAS NO CLOSER THAN 7 MI.

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.