B737-200 being hand-flown in turbulence due to inoperative autoplt deviates from assigned altitude b...

Attributes
ACN	356540
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	356540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	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:

Delivery flight from pae to mco departed XA30L (PST) in ZLC area, given a heading for orl. Approximately one and a half hours into flight the autoplt kicked off and would not reset. Captain and first officer taking turns hand flying. Approximately three and a half hours into flight in intermittent light turbulence, aircraft climbed to approximately (according to center) FL333. Descent made to indicate FL329 and was advised we were again 'in conformance.' continued to mco. Corrective action would probably have been to request a block altitude due to difficulty flying (hand) the aircraft with the turbulence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 BEING HAND-FLOWN IN TURB DUE TO INOP AUTOPLT DEVIATES FROM ASSIGNED ALT BY 300 FT.

Narrative: DELIVERY FLT FROM PAE TO MCO DEPARTED XA30L (PST) IN ZLC AREA, GIVEN A HEADING FOR ORL. APPROX ONE AND A HALF HRS INTO FLT THE AUTOPLT KICKED OFF AND WOULD NOT RESET. CAPT AND FO TAKING TURNS HAND FLYING. APPROX THREE AND A HALF HRS INTO FLT IN INTERMITTENT LIGHT TURB, ACFT CLBED TO APPROX (ACCORDING TO CTR) FL333. DSCNT MADE TO INDICATE FL329 AND WAS ADVISED WE WERE AGAIN 'IN CONFORMANCE.' CONTINUED TO MCO. CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN TO REQUEST A BLOCK ALT DUE TO DIFFICULTY FLYING (HAND) THE ACFT WITH THE TURB.

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.

B737-200 being hand-flown in turbulence due to inoperative autoplt deviates from assigned altitude by 300 ft.