Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	295320
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	295320
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing to 28000 ft with altitude capture armed (727-200). Center gave clearance to 11000 ft 30 mi southwest of pwm. Descent at pilot's discretion. First officer okayed altitude window to 11000 ft before airplane captured at 28000 ft. I noticed us at 28500 ft and immediately started descent to 28000 ft. Because aircraft had not captured 28000 ft on ascent the copilot had inadvertently cleared the 28000 ft altitude but changing it to 11000 ft. Even though I called 27000 ft for 28000 ft we both relied on the autoplt to capture when it could not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV.

Narrative: CLBING TO 28000 FT WITH ALT CAPTURE ARMED (727-200). CTR GAVE CLRNC TO 11000 FT 30 MI SW OF PWM. DSCNT AT PLT'S DISCRETION. FO OKAYED ALT WINDOW TO 11000 FT BEFORE AIRPLANE CAPTURED AT 28000 FT. I NOTICED US AT 28500 FT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED DSCNT TO 28000 FT. BECAUSE ACFT HAD NOT CAPTURED 28000 FT ON ASCENT THE COPLT HAD INADVERTENTLY CLRED THE 28000 FT ALT BUT CHANGING IT TO 11000 FT. EVEN THOUGH I CALLED 27000 FT FOR 28000 FT WE BOTH RELIED ON THE AUTOPLT TO CAPTURE WHEN IT COULD NOT.

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.