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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Medium large transport attempts climb to altitude for which they are too heavy. Descend back to appropriate altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 263927 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199402 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : act |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 263927 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance 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:
Flight planned dfw-mex. Planned initial climb to FL310, with later climb to FL350. As we were climbing to FL310, ATC issued a climb to FL350. We goofed by not checking to see if we could go that high. We were climbing with the performance mode on. Set FL350 in the altitude window, but the altitude wouldn't arm for a capture. The computer was trying to tell us we couldn't go that high (too heavy). So we selected another climb mode that did allow us to arm the altitude FL350. Climbing through FL340, I noticed the airspeed start to decay. The captain reduced the climb rate and shortly thereafter the aircraft began to buffet. We asked for and received descent back to FL310 and got it. We almost stalled the airplane. Had ATC asked us if we were good for FL350, or had we paid attention to the performance not accepting FL350, or had we been more vigilant, this would not have happened.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MLG ATTEMPTS CLB TO ALT FOR WHICH THEY ARE TOO HVY. DSND BACK TO APPROPRIATE ALT.
Narrative: FLT PLANNED DFW-MEX. PLANNED INITIAL CLB TO FL310, WITH LATER CLB TO FL350. AS WE WERE CLBING TO FL310, ATC ISSUED A CLB TO FL350. WE GOOFED BY NOT CHKING TO SEE IF WE COULD GO THAT HIGH. WE WERE CLBING WITH THE PERFORMANCE MODE ON. SET FL350 IN THE ALT WINDOW, BUT THE ALT WOULDN'T ARM FOR A CAPTURE. THE COMPUTER WAS TRYING TO TELL US WE COULDN'T GO THAT HIGH (TOO HVY). SO WE SELECTED ANOTHER CLB MODE THAT DID ALLOW US TO ARM THE ALT FL350. CLBING THROUGH FL340, I NOTICED THE AIRSPD START TO DECAY. THE CAPT REDUCED THE CLB RATE AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT BEGAN TO BUFFET. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED DSCNT BACK TO FL310 AND GOT IT. WE ALMOST STALLED THE AIRPLANE. HAD ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE GOOD FOR FL350, OR HAD WE PAID ATTN TO THE PERFORMANCE NOT ACCEPTING FL350, OR HAD WE BEEN MORE VIGILANT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
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.