Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	296490
Time
Date	199502
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ccc airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	296490
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	296806
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound jfk on the kennebunk 3 arrival. We were level at 12000 ft on autoplt, automatic throttles disconnected, slowing from 330 KTS to 250 KTS. I was making PA to passenger 'level 12000 ft 48 mi from airport.' during PA, felt plane start down. Since I was talking to passenger, thought I just didn't hear descent clearance. Shortly after, copilot aggressively pulled up aircraft. I saw we were at about 10700 ft. There was confusion as to what had happened. Captain later said he hit IAS mode. This must have tripped the altitude hold. Captain informed ATC, ATC said no problem. Problem arose: captain selected IAS pitch mode without first officer's knowledge and did not monitor aircraft after making input. Contributing factors: 1) first officer was reviewing approach plate. Should have asked captain to fly airplane. 2) long flight fra-jfk, fatigue. 3) busy arrival. 4) I was distracted with PA to passenger. Corrective actions: need better coordination between crew members.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV.

Narrative: INBOUND JFK ON THE KENNEBUNK 3 ARR. WE WERE LEVEL AT 12000 FT ON AUTOPLT, AUTO THROTTLES DISCONNECTED, SLOWING FROM 330 KTS TO 250 KTS. I WAS MAKING PA TO PAX 'LEVEL 12000 FT 48 MI FROM ARPT.' DURING PA, FELT PLANE START DOWN. SINCE I WAS TALKING TO PAX, THOUGHT I JUST DIDN'T HEAR DSCNT CLRNC. SHORTLY AFTER, COPLT AGGRESSIVELY PULLED UP ACFT. I SAW WE WERE AT ABOUT 10700 FT. THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED. CAPT LATER SAID HE HIT IAS MODE. THIS MUST HAVE TRIPPED THE ALT HOLD. CAPT INFORMED ATC, ATC SAID NO PROB. PROB AROSE: CAPT SELECTED IAS PITCH MODE WITHOUT FO'S KNOWLEDGE AND DID NOT MONITOR ACFT AFTER MAKING INPUT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FO WAS REVIEWING APCH PLATE. SHOULD HAVE ASKED CAPT TO FLY AIRPLANE. 2) LONG FLT FRA-JFK, FATIGUE. 3) BUSY ARR. 4) I WAS DISTRACTED WITH PA TO PAX. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: NEED BETTER COORD BTWN CREW MEMBERS.

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.