<< >> NASA ASRS Report 340410, July 1996

Altitude deviation. Overshoot on climb. Reporter first officer, PF, became distracted by EPR setting just prior to leveloff. Flight crew didn't hear altitude alerter and the autoplt didn't capture altitude.

Attributes
ACN	340410
Time
Date	199607
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	340410
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	341235
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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 radar vector, heading 005 degrees for flm direct, off J43 and climbing to FL310 on autoplt. At approximately FL300 the flight engineer gave maximum and target EPR settings for cruise at FL310. Our aircraft was the only JT8D-7A pwred one we have (all others are minus 15 or minus 17) and the settings didn't seem correct. None of us heard the altitude alert or saw the alert light which should have come on 500 ft prior to FL310 (FL305) and then 300 ft past (FL313). I noticed the deviation approaching FL314 and got no response from the autoplt so disconnected it and manually returned to FL310. Center requested we reconfirm assigned FL310 and asked our current altitude. At the time we were at FL312 descending. As the PF, I should not have allowed myself to be distracted from the primary job of flying the aircraft. P.south. Subsequent system checks of both autoplt and altitude warning system found no problems -- normal operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. OVERSHOOT ON CLB. RPTR FO, PF, BECAME DISTRACTED BY EPR SETTING JUST PRIOR TO LEVELOFF. FLC DIDN'T HEAR ALT ALERTER AND THE AUTOPLT DIDN'T CAPTURE ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A RADAR VECTOR, HDG 005 DEGS FOR FLM DIRECT, OFF J43 AND CLBING TO FL310 ON AUTOPLT. AT APPROX FL300 THE FE GAVE MAX AND TARGET EPR SETTINGS FOR CRUISE AT FL310. OUR ACFT WAS THE ONLY JT8D-7A PWRED ONE WE HAVE (ALL OTHERS ARE MINUS 15 OR MINUS 17) AND THE SETTINGS DIDN'T SEEM CORRECT. NONE OF US HEARD THE ALT ALERT OR SAW THE ALERT LIGHT WHICH SHOULD HAVE COME ON 500 FT PRIOR TO FL310 (FL305) AND THEN 300 FT PAST (FL313). I NOTICED THE DEV APCHING FL314 AND GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE AUTOPLT SO DISCONNECTED IT AND MANUALLY RETURNED TO FL310. CTR REQUESTED WE RECONFIRM ASSIGNED FL310 AND ASKED OUR CURRENT ALT. AT THE TIME WE WERE AT FL312 DSNDING. AS THE PF, I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE DISTRACTED FROM THE PRIMARY JOB OF FLYING THE ACFT. P.S. SUBSEQUENT SYS CHKS OF BOTH AUTOPLT AND ALT WARNING SYS FOUND NO PROBS -- NORMAL OPS.

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.