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Learjet 25 cruising FL410. Captain hand flying account autoplt inoperative. Distraction looking out window and aircraft deviated from altitude 500 ft low. Regained altitude but controller questioned deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 358220 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : oma |
| State Reference | NE |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 40500 msl bound upper : 41000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 25 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| ASRS Report | 358220 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | 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:
I was flying a learjet 25 at FL410. The autoplt was inoperative. I was hand flying the airplane. The first officer was busy talking on the radio, and I was looking outside the aircraft. The aircraft descended to FL405. I noticed my error and corrected within 30 seconds. The controller asked us why we were 500 ft low. I told him that we were back at FL410. This altitude deviation may not have occurred if the first officer was not busy. When an autoplt is inoperative, both pilots need to be more aware of the aircraft altitude, not just the PF.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LEARJET 25 CRUISING FL410. CAPT HAND FLYING ACCOUNT AUTOPLT INOP. DISTR LOOKING OUT WINDOW AND ACFT DEVIATED FROM ALT 500 FT LOW. REGAINED ALT BUT CTLR QUESTIONED DEV.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING A LEARJET 25 AT FL410. THE AUTOPLT WAS INOP. I WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE. THE FO WAS BUSY TALKING ON THE RADIO, AND I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE ACFT. THE ACFT DSNDED TO FL405. I NOTICED MY ERROR AND CORRECTED WITHIN 30 SECONDS. THE CTLR ASKED US WHY WE WERE 500 FT LOW. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE BACK AT FL410. THIS ALTDEV MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE FO WAS NOT BUSY. WHEN AN AUTOPLT IS INOP, BOTH PLTS NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE ACFT ALT, NOT JUST THE PF.
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.