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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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An medium large transport flight crew, with an aci on board, climbs above their assigned altitude when they become distracted during an approach runway change.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 357150 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rdu |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rdu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6450 flight time type : 1400 |
| ASRS Report | 357150 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 790 |
| ASRS Report | 356880 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| 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 being vectored for ILS runway 23L behind a single engined aircraft, we were at minimum airspeed and received 2 vectors through final approach course as controller tried to maintain spacing. At FAF controller broke us off the approach. We complied with northbound turn and climb to 3000 ft. At 3000 ft we were given another turn, climb 3200 ft and expect vectors runway 23R ILS. I started a slow climb 3200 ft. At this point crew had confusion over assigned heading. I missed the leveloff at 3200 ft, caught and corrected altitude at 3400 ft. Rest of pattern and approach was uneventful. After landing a FAA inspector in jump seat mentioned the altitude. Both captain and myself were in agreement that assigned altitude was 3200 ft. FAA inspector thought it was 3000 ft. Nothing else was said and inspector left the aircraft. Factors causing the potential altitude deviation were complying with go around instructions, quick changes to heading, altitude and expected approach, and confusion over heading (distraction) during a small altitude change (200 ft). I believe 'less than ideal' approach controling to a low WX (500/1) approach greatly increased workload during a critical phase of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MLG FLC, WITH AN ACI ON BOARD, CLBS ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY BECOME DISTRACTED DURING AN APCH RWY CHANGE.
Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS RWY 23L BEHIND A SINGLE ENGINED ACFT, WE WERE AT MINIMUM AIRSPD AND RECEIVED 2 VECTORS THROUGH FINAL APCH COURSE AS CTLR TRIED TO MAINTAIN SPACING. AT FAF CTLR BROKE US OFF THE APCH. WE COMPLIED WITH NBOUND TURN AND CLB TO 3000 FT. AT 3000 FT WE WERE GIVEN ANOTHER TURN, CLB 3200 FT AND EXPECT VECTORS RWY 23R ILS. I STARTED A SLOW CLB 3200 FT. AT THIS POINT CREW HAD CONFUSION OVER ASSIGNED HEADING. I MISSED THE LEVELOFF AT 3200 FT, CAUGHT AND CORRECTED ALT AT 3400 FT. REST OF PATTERN AND APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG A FAA INSPECTOR IN JUMP SEAT MENTIONED THE ALT. BOTH CAPT AND MYSELF WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3200 FT. FAA INSPECTOR THOUGHT IT WAS 3000 FT. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID AND INSPECTOR LEFT THE ACFT. FACTORS CAUSING THE POTENTIAL ALTDEV WERE COMPLYING WITH GAR INSTRUCTIONS, QUICK CHANGES TO HEADING, ALT AND EXPECTED APCH, AND CONFUSION OVER HEADING (DISTR) DURING A SMALL ALT CHANGE (200 FT). I BELIEVE 'LESS THAN IDEAL' APCH CTLING TO A LOW WX (500/1) APCH GREATLY INCREASED WORKLOAD DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT.
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.