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Flight crew distraction with generator off procedure didn't notice autoplt disconnect with subsequent altitude deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 300129 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199503 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pxv |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid tower : las |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 23400 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 300129 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 650 |
| ASRS Report | 300135 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Level cruise flight FL290 #1 autoplt engaged captain flying. #3 generator tripped off line captain (me) asked flight engineer to pull out the procedure book and we went through 'generator off' procedure. I did not assign the aircraft control to the copilot because we were in cruise and this generator problem should not have affected our level cruise flight. About 3 min into the 'generator off' procedure while resetting and discussing the generator. The first officer stated 'hey how come we are climbing' for some reason the #1 autoplt had disconnected and the aircraft had climbed to FL300 -- about that time ZID called us -- we immediately descended to FL290 and stated level FL290. We had TCASII operational on board and no other flts were near us. There was no reason in this case for the autoplt to disconnect -- coincidence, however in all cases of 'abnormals' the flying should be assigned to the copilot while the captain and so address the abnormal -- even in cruise level flight at altitude. A lesson well learned. Unless flying is transferred and assigned to copilot all 3 pilots will continue to get involved in the abnormal!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC DISTR WITH GENERATOR OFF PROC DIDN'T NOTICE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT WITH SUBSEQUENT ALTDEV.
Narrative: LEVEL CRUISE FLT FL290 #1 AUTOPLT ENGAGED CAPT FLYING. #3 GENERATOR TRIPPED OFF LINE CAPT (ME) ASKED FE TO PULL OUT THE PROC BOOK AND WE WENT THROUGH 'GENERATOR OFF' PROC. I DID NOT ASSIGN THE ACFT CTL TO THE COPLT BECAUSE WE WERE IN CRUISE AND THIS GENERATOR PROB SHOULD NOT HAVE AFFECTED OUR LEVEL CRUISE FLT. ABOUT 3 MIN INTO THE 'GENERATOR OFF' PROC WHILE RESETTING AND DISCUSSING THE GENERATOR. THE FO STATED 'HEY HOW COME WE ARE CLBING' FOR SOME REASON THE #1 AUTOPLT HAD DISCONNECTED AND THE ACFT HAD CLBED TO FL300 -- ABOUT THAT TIME ZID CALLED US -- WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL290 AND STATED LEVEL FL290. WE HAD TCASII OPERATIONAL ON BOARD AND NO OTHER FLTS WERE NEAR US. THERE WAS NO REASON IN THIS CASE FOR THE AUTOPLT TO DISCONNECT -- COINCIDENCE, HOWEVER IN ALL CASES OF 'ABNORMALS' THE FLYING SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO THE COPLT WHILE THE CAPT AND SO ADDRESS THE ABNORMAL -- EVEN IN CRUISE LEVEL FLT AT ALT. A LESSON WELL LEARNED. UNLESS FLYING IS TRANSFERRED AND ASSIGNED TO COPLT ALL 3 PLTS WILL CONTINUE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ABNORMAL!
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.