<< >> NASA ASRS Report 364900, March 1997

Small aircraft cargo pilot runs into low altitude turbulence and has difficulty in maintaining his assigned altitude. After a good bump he recovers altitude, but to previously assigned of 3000 ft, not the current 4000 ft. Controller corrects.

Attributes
ACN	364900
Time
Date	199703
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gso
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	364900
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly 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 other

Narrative:

I had filed an IFR flight plan for a cruising altitude of 3000 ft, and this is the altitude assignment I had received. Later I was told to climb and maintain 4000 ft. Holding an exact altitude was difficult on this day due to numerous up- and downdrafts. While in the greensboro area, I hit a good deal of turbulence while I had looked away from the instrument panel. I looked back and immediately stopped the plane's changing altitude and quickly returned to my earlier assigned altitude of 3000 ft. (I had momentarily forgotten that my altitude had been reassigned to 4000 ft.) the controller called my altitude to my attention, and I returned to 4000 ft. Only then did I remember the 4000 ft assignment. Traffic was low and no one had to deviate due to my memory lapse.

Related reports:

• A300 maintaining FL310 encountered moderate turbulence and r...
• Air carrier medium large transport maintaining FL310 encount...
• Super MD80 maintaining FL330 encountered moderate turbulence...
• BE1900 maintaining 14000 ft when encountered turbulence and ...
• A320 first officer describes an ILS approach to runway 22 at...
• B737-200 on approach to buf was maintaining 11000 ft in turb...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CARGO PLT RUNS INTO LOW ALT TURB AND HAS DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING HIS ASSIGNED ALT. AFTER A GOOD BUMP HE RECOVERS ALT, BUT TO PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED OF 3000 FT, NOT THE CURRENT 4000 FT. CTLR CORRECTS.

Narrative: I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FOR A CRUISING ALT OF 3000 FT, AND THIS IS THE ALT ASSIGNMENT I HAD RECEIVED. LATER I WAS TOLD TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. HOLDING AN EXACT ALT WAS DIFFICULT ON THIS DAY DUE TO NUMEROUS UP- AND DOWNDRAFTS. WHILE IN THE GREENSBORO AREA, I HIT A GOOD DEAL OF TURB WHILE I HAD LOOKED AWAY FROM THE INST PANEL. I LOOKED BACK AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE PLANE'S CHANGING ALT AND QUICKLY RETURNED TO MY EARLIER ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT. (I HAD MOMENTARILY FORGOTTEN THAT MY ALT HAD BEEN REASSIGNED TO 4000 FT.) THE CTLR CALLED MY ALT TO MY ATTN, AND I RETURNED TO 4000 FT. ONLY THEN DID I REMEMBER THE 4000 FT ASSIGNMENT. TFC WAS LOW AND NO ONE HAD TO DEVIATE DUE TO MY MEMORY LAPSE.

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.