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Altitude deviation altitude overshot. Air carrier flight crew reads back the altitude correctly and sets it in the altitude alerter correctly, but they descend below the assigned altitude anyway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 307560 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199506 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : swf |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Jetstream 31 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zny |
| 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 : 3700 flight time type : 2200 |
| ASRS Report | 307560 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were on a vectored descent, out of cruise altitude of 17000 ft, to assigned altitude of 9000 ft. All aspects of flight going fine. I mentally acknowledged altitude alerter tone thinking it was the 1000 ft to go tone. As I continued descent to what I thought was correct altitude of 8000 ft, controller called at 8600 ft saying we were 400 ft too low. Glancing at altitude alerter, I quickly saw that indeed 9000 ft had been entered and was the correct altitude. I hustled back up to 9000 ft. Apparently no spacing conflicts occurred. For some unknown reason, I had in my mind 8000 ft as the assigned altitude even though the controller clearly stated 9000 ft and the first officer correctly entered 9000 ft in the alerter. The first officer also did not notice the deviation. It was not a lax cockpit. I am still unable to determine the reason for my lapse, other than using the term 'mind fart.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT. ACR FLC READS BACK THE ALT CORRECTLY AND SETS IT IN THE ALT ALERTER CORRECTLY, BUT THEY DSND BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT ANYWAY.
Narrative: WE WERE ON A VECTORED DSCNT, OUT OF CRUISE ALT OF 17000 FT, TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT. ALL ASPECTS OF FLT GOING FINE. I MENTALLY ACKNOWLEDGED ALT ALERTER TONE THINKING IT WAS THE 1000 FT TO GO TONE. AS I CONTINUED DSCNT TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS CORRECT ALT OF 8000 FT, CTLR CALLED AT 8600 FT SAYING WE WERE 400 FT TOO LOW. GLANCING AT ALT ALERTER, I QUICKLY SAW THAT INDEED 9000 FT HAD BEEN ENTERED AND WAS THE CORRECT ALT. I HUSTLED BACK UP TO 9000 FT. APPARENTLY NO SPACING CONFLICTS OCCURRED. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, I HAD IN MY MIND 8000 FT AS THE ASSIGNED ALT EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR CLRLY STATED 9000 FT AND THE FO CORRECTLY ENTERED 9000 FT IN THE ALERTER. THE FO ALSO DID NOT NOTICE THE DEV. IT WAS NOT A LAX COCKPIT. I AM STILL UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR MY LAPSE, OTHER THAN USING THE TERM 'MIND FART.'
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.