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MD80 was descending and as they approached FL270, the captain was reprogramming the FMS which canceled the altitude capture and the rate of descent increased. Aircraft descended to FL269 and triggered a TCASII RA on a DC10, opposite direction traffic, at FL260.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 358711 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pxt |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26900 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc tower : cle |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 358711 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 358800 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ZDC cleared us to FL270. During descent PF programmed the FMS to descend at 250 KIAS and 1500 FPM. Just prior to leveling at FL270, the PF noted that the IAS was 260 KIAS while descent rate was 400 FPM with throttles advancing. At that time the PF began to reprogram the FMS which canceled the altitude capture function of the autoplt. While 'heads down' and task saturated with the FMS the aircraft increased its rate of descent and descended through FL270. At that time the PNF took control of the aircraft and began a climb back to FL270. At about the same time a DC10 (?) triggered an RA on the TCASII. Air carrier Y traffic was opposite direction at FL260. The air carrier Y flight reported a near miss to the center controller. The controller queried our flight level to which we reported FL270 which was where we were at. We believe that the increasing descent rate in combination with the 1000 ft clearance triggered an RA. We believe the miss distance was at least 900 ft vertical.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 WAS DSNDING AND AS THEY APCHED FL270, THE CAPT WAS REPROGRAMMING THE FMS WHICH CANCELED THE ALT CAPTURE AND THE RATE OF DSCNT INCREASED. ACFT DSNDED TO FL269 AND TRIGGERED A TCASII RA ON A DC10, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, AT FL260.
Narrative: ZDC CLRED US TO FL270. DURING DSCNT PF PROGRAMMED THE FMS TO DSND AT 250 KIAS AND 1500 FPM. JUST PRIOR TO LEVELING AT FL270, THE PF NOTED THAT THE IAS WAS 260 KIAS WHILE DSCNT RATE WAS 400 FPM WITH THROTTLES ADVANCING. AT THAT TIME THE PF BEGAN TO REPROGRAM THE FMS WHICH CANCELED THE ALT CAPTURE FUNCTION OF THE AUTOPLT. WHILE 'HEADS DOWN' AND TASK SATURATED WITH THE FMS THE ACFT INCREASED ITS RATE OF DSCNT AND DSNDED THROUGH FL270. AT THAT TIME THE PNF TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND BEGAN A CLB BACK TO FL270. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A DC10 (?) TRIGGERED AN RA ON THE TCASII. ACR Y TFC WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL260. THE ACR Y FLT RPTED A NEAR MISS TO THE CTR CTLR. THE CTLR QUERIED OUR FLT LEVEL TO WHICH WE RPTED FL270 WHICH WAS WHERE WE WERE AT. WE BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASING DSCNT RATE IN COMBINATION WITH THE 1000 FT CLRNC TRIGGERED AN RA. WE BELIEVE THE MISS DISTANCE WAS AT LEAST 900 FT VERT.
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.