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A DC9 flight crew overshot assigned altitude while attempting to read navigation instruments in glare of sun. Altitude deviation altitude overshot.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 328100 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199602 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hto |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zbw |
| 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 : 10000 flight time type : 2700 |
| ASRS Report | 328100 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| 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:
Climbing to leveloff altitude of 28000 ft, called FL270 for FL280 and given a heading to intercept J121. Checking my position with vors while flying into the sun (very bright and had sun glasses on and flood lights on to see instruments). Lowered my head to see VOR needles because of sun and couldn't see altimeter. Altitude alert went off at 200 ft above leveloff. Climbed another 100 ft during correction. No conflict or aircraft in sight. Sun was the major factor in what happened along with checking my position, which wasn't needed since we were on a heading to intercept. I even had my hand on the altitude leveloff wheel. All my crutches broke down that time. Just need to emphasize watch our altitude the last 1000 ft of leveloff. Use other crew member to do other needed duties.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9 FLC OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO READ NAV INSTS IN GLARE OF SUN. ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.
Narrative: CLBING TO LEVELOFF ALT OF 28000 FT, CALLED FL270 FOR FL280 AND GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT J121. CHKING MY POS WITH VORS WHILE FLYING INTO THE SUN (VERY BRIGHT AND HAD SUN GLASSES ON AND FLOOD LIGHTS ON TO SEE INSTS). LOWERED MY HEAD TO SEE VOR NEEDLES BECAUSE OF SUN AND COULDN'T SEE ALTIMETER. ALT ALERT WENT OFF AT 200 FT ABOVE LEVELOFF. CLBED ANOTHER 100 FT DURING CORRECTION. NO CONFLICT OR ACFT IN SIGHT. SUN WAS THE MAJOR FACTOR IN WHAT HAPPENED ALONG WITH CHKING MY POS, WHICH WASN'T NEEDED SINCE WE WERE ON A HDG TO INTERCEPT. I EVEN HAD MY HAND ON THE ALT LEVELOFF WHEEL. ALL MY CRUTCHES BROKE DOWN THAT TIME. JUST NEED TO EMPHASIZE WATCH OUR ALT THE LAST 1000 FT OF LEVELOFF. USE OTHER CREW MEMBER TO DO OTHER NEEDED DUTIES.
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.