Altdevs altitude excursions.

Attributes
ACN	298543
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rca
State Reference	SD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rca tower : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	298543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
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:

First officer shooting ILS runway 32 approach. We were cleared for approach. He leveled off at 5500 ft inbound from procedure turn, during flap extension. He was hand flying the airplane. He let the airplane begin to climb. I called this to his attention and he leveled off and started down. I looked away again and when I looked back the airplane was climbing again. I again called this to his attention, and he started down. Total deviation was plus 500 ft. I have no explanation for his flying problems. He must have been tired or nervous about the upcoming landing on an icy runway with a 15 KTS crosswind. In the future, I plan to make or fly all difficult approachs until I get to know the abilities of the first officer better. No more assuming he (she) is up to an approach in difficult circumstances until we have flown together for awhile. It is not unusual for me to fly with a different first officer every trip. I would fly a 4 day series of flts with the same person, then the next week see a different first officer on the next 4 day trip. From now on we are going to have to fly together until I am comfortable the first officer is ready for the approach. No more assuming because he is in the seat and qualified that he is ready to fly a difficult approach or landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEVS ALT EXCURSIONS.

Narrative: FO SHOOTING ILS RWY 32 APCH. WE WERE CLRED FOR APCH. HE LEVELED OFF AT 5500 FT INBOUND FROM PROC TURN, DURING FLAP EXTENSION. HE WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE. HE LET THE AIRPLANE BEGIN TO CLB. I CALLED THIS TO HIS ATTN AND HE LEVELED OFF AND STARTED DOWN. I LOOKED AWAY AGAIN AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK THE AIRPLANE WAS CLBING AGAIN. I AGAIN CALLED THIS TO HIS ATTN, AND HE STARTED DOWN. TOTAL DEV WAS PLUS 500 FT. I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR HIS FLYING PROBS. HE MUST HAVE BEEN TIRED OR NERVOUS ABOUT THE UPCOMING LNDG ON AN ICY RUNWAY WITH A 15 KTS XWIND. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO MAKE OR FLY ALL DIFFICULT APCHS UNTIL I GET TO KNOW THE ABILITIES OF THE FO BETTER. NO MORE ASSUMING HE (SHE) IS UP TO AN APCH IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES UNTIL WE HAVE FLOWN TOGETHER FOR AWHILE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR ME TO FLY WITH A DIFFERENT FO EVERY TRIP. I WOULD FLY A 4 DAY SERIES OF FLTS WITH THE SAME PERSON, THEN THE NEXT WEEK SEE A DIFFERENT FO ON THE NEXT 4 DAY TRIP. FROM NOW ON WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FLY TOGETHER UNTIL I AM COMFORTABLE THE FO IS READY FOR THE APCH. NO MORE ASSUMING BECAUSE HE IS IN THE SEAT AND QUALIFIED THAT HE IS READY TO FLY A DIFFICULT APCH OR LNDG.

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.