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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Pilot on test flight descends below his assigned altitude. Cites pilot distraction and planning for low level tests to come. He and controller note the altitude deviation at the same time.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 368060 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199705 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ict |
| State Reference | KS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc tower : cle |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | controller military : 23 controller non radar : 37 controller radar : 37 flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 7860 flight time type : 830 |
| ASRS Report | 368060 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Following a routine performance test flight at FL310, I was cleared to descend to FL240 in preparation for leaving controled airspace. I inadvertently descended below FL240 to FL230, then immediately returned to FL240. Controller asked for my assigned altitude and I reported FL240, as I was returning/correcting back to FL240. He reported seeing altitude as FL230. A contributing factor was my attention diverted to a series of low altitude tests to be performed at 10000 ft. I discovered my error through normal scan about the time the controller called me. My corrective action was immediate upon discovering my error. Obviously, my attention was diverted from flying the airplane as I was arranging cards and thoughts for the low altitude tests. In retrospect, I should have concentrated all attention on flying the airplane in the controled environment, reviewing the upcoming tests only after descending below controled airspace and canceling my instrument flight plan. This incident underscores the need for continual vigilance, particularly during flight tests with only 1 pilot in the aircraft. Without a copilot to xchk, the pilot flying the airplane cannot afford to relax or allow his attention to be diverted from flying the airplane first.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT ON TEST FLT DSNDS BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT. CITES PLT DISTR AND PLANNING FOR LOW LEVEL TESTS TO COME. HE AND CTLR NOTE THE ALTDEV AT THE SAME TIME.
Narrative: FOLLOWING A ROUTINE PERFORMANCE TEST FLT AT FL310, I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO FL240 IN PREPARATION FOR LEAVING CTLED AIRSPACE. I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW FL240 TO FL230, THEN IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO FL240. CTLR ASKED FOR MY ASSIGNED ALT AND I RPTED FL240, AS I WAS RETURNING/CORRECTING BACK TO FL240. HE RPTED SEEING ALT AS FL230. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY ATTN DIVERTED TO A SERIES OF LOW ALT TESTS TO BE PERFORMED AT 10000 FT. I DISCOVERED MY ERROR THROUGH NORMAL SCAN ABOUT THE TIME THE CTLR CALLED ME. MY CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS IMMEDIATE UPON DISCOVERING MY ERROR. OBVIOUSLY, MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED FROM FLYING THE AIRPLANE AS I WAS ARRANGING CARDS AND THOUGHTS FOR THE LOW ALT TESTS. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE CONCENTRATED ALL ATTN ON FLYING THE AIRPLANE IN THE CTLED ENVIRONMENT, REVIEWING THE UPCOMING TESTS ONLY AFTER DSNDING BELOW CTLED AIRSPACE AND CANCELING MY INST FLT PLAN. THIS INCIDENT UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR CONTINUAL VIGILANCE, PARTICULARLY DURING FLT TESTS WITH ONLY 1 PLT IN THE ACFT. WITHOUT A COPLT TO XCHK, THE PLT FLYING THE AIRPLANE CANNOT AFFORD TO RELAX OR ALLOW HIS ATTN TO BE DIVERTED FROM FLYING THE AIRPLANE FIRST.
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.