Altitude bust. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	266662
Time
Date	199403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jax
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : jax
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 14100 flight time type : 8700
ASRS Report	266662
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending into jax, we were crossing a line of rain showers and thunderstorms. While going through the WX, the airplane was struck by lightning. While this did not cause any problems with the airplane, it did distract us. Once through the WX, approach started vectoring and descending us for the approach. While doing the approach checklist, we were cleared to 5000 ft. While descending, we heard the altitude alerter bell ring and called out 1000 ft to go. Upon leveling off, I noticed we were at 4000 ft and immediately climbed to 5000 ft. The bell we heard was for 300 ft below our assigned 5000 ft altitude. We never heard the proper 1000 ft bell. Approach never said anything to us and we were shortly cleared lower and onto the approach. No further problems were encountered. Another factor: the sic first officer is also a qualified captain, who was told the day before that he should retire. (He is 72 years old.) he was asked this because too many pilots were complaining about his inattentiveness and loss of sharpness in his flying. I am the most vocal complainant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT BUST.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO JAX, WE WERE XING A LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND TSTMS. WHILE GOING THROUGH THE WX, THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. WHILE THIS DID NOT CAUSE ANY PROBS WITH THE AIRPLANE, IT DID DISTRACT US. ONCE THROUGH THE WX, APCH STARTED VECTORING AND DSNDING US FOR THE APCH. WHILE DOING THE APCH CHKLIST, WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. WHILE DSNDING, WE HEARD THE ALT ALERTER BELL RING AND CALLED OUT 1000 FT TO GO. UPON LEVELING OFF, I NOTICED WE WERE AT 4000 FT AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 5000 FT. THE BELL WE HEARD WAS FOR 300 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED 5000 FT ALT. WE NEVER HEARD THE PROPER 1000 FT BELL. APCH NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO US AND WE WERE SHORTLY CLRED LOWER AND ONTO THE APCH. NO FURTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED. ANOTHER FACTOR: THE SIC FO IS ALSO A QUALIFIED CAPT, WHO WAS TOLD THE DAY BEFORE THAT HE SHOULD RETIRE. (HE IS 72 YEARS OLD.) HE WAS ASKED THIS BECAUSE TOO MANY PLTS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT HIS INATTENTIVENESS AND LOSS OF SHARPNESS IN HIS FLYING. I AM THE MOST VOCAL COMPLAINANT.

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.