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Flight crew of medium large transport levels off at wrong altitude, the flight planned altitude instead of assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 371650 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dlg |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zan |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 371650 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 371640 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Upon leveling off at FL210 I contacted zan controller on frequency 124.8 and requested FL250 because of cumulus buildups approximately 30-40 mi in the distance. The controller then asked what altitude we had been assigned. When receiving our clearance from dlg FSS, a quick look at our clipboard showed that we were cleared to FL190. I advised the controller that we apparently were cleared to FL190 and that we had made a mistake in thinking we were cleared to FL210. The controller then cleared us to FL250. After leveling at FL250 the captain, flight engineer, and myself tried to figure out what had caused this event to occur. We determined that several things had indeed happened. Our flight plan showed us filed for FL210 and since we almost always return to anc from dlg at FL210, we were all thinking FL210. Secondly, the captain set FL210 in the altitude reminder box on the glare shield before the clearance was read. The captain and engineer were starting engines while I obtained the clearance and I assumed they had also heard the clearance. The final altitude was never discussed in the pilot's briefing as we were taxiing for departure and were looking for traffic since this is an uncontrolled airport. In retrospect, I believe that the altitude reminder should be reset to zero upon landing and should only be set to the clearance altitude by the person receiving the clearance. Secondly, the person receiving the clearance should make sure the whole crew is informed by them, of the clearance, and thirdly, the final altitude should become a part of every pilot briefing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF MLG LEVELS OFF AT WRONG ALT, THE FLT PLANNED ALT INSTEAD OF ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: UPON LEVELING OFF AT FL210 I CONTACTED ZAN CTLR ON FREQ 124.8 AND REQUESTED FL250 BECAUSE OF CUMULUS BUILDUPS APPROX 30-40 MI IN THE DISTANCE. THE CTLR THEN ASKED WHAT ALT WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED. WHEN RECEIVING OUR CLRNC FROM DLG FSS, A QUICK LOOK AT OUR CLIPBOARD SHOWED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL190. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE APPARENTLY WERE CLRED TO FL190 AND THAT WE HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN THINKING WE WERE CLRED TO FL210. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO FL250. AFTER LEVELING AT FL250 THE CAPT, FE, AND MYSELF TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD CAUSED THIS EVENT TO OCCUR. WE DETERMINED THAT SEVERAL THINGS HAD INDEED HAPPENED. OUR FLT PLAN SHOWED US FILED FOR FL210 AND SINCE WE ALMOST ALWAYS RETURN TO ANC FROM DLG AT FL210, WE WERE ALL THINKING FL210. SECONDLY, THE CAPT SET FL210 IN THE ALT REMINDER BOX ON THE GLARE SHIELD BEFORE THE CLRNC WAS READ. THE CAPT AND ENGINEER WERE STARTING ENGS WHILE I OBTAINED THE CLRNC AND I ASSUMED THEY HAD ALSO HEARD THE CLRNC. THE FINAL ALT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED IN THE PLT'S BRIEFING AS WE WERE TAXIING FOR DEP AND WERE LOOKING FOR TFC SINCE THIS IS AN UNCTLED ARPT. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THAT THE ALT REMINDER SHOULD BE RESET TO ZERO UPON LNDG AND SHOULD ONLY BE SET TO THE CLRNC ALT BY THE PERSON RECEIVING THE CLRNC. SECONDLY, THE PERSON RECEIVING THE CLRNC SHOULD MAKE SURE THE WHOLE CREW IS INFORMED BY THEM, OF THE CLRNC, AND THIRDLY, THE FINAL ALT SHOULD BECOME A PART OF EVERY PLT BRIEFING.
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.