 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An air carrier light transport flight crew overshot their assigned altitude while looking for traffic. The flight crew returned to their proper altitude with no conflict.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379860 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rbv airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14330 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 850 |
| ASRS Report | 379860 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We had been cleared direct to robinsville VOR after departing jfk up to 14000 ft. Passing 13000 ft, we were given a TA from N90. I engaged the autoplt and selected 14000 ft in the altitude select window and began searching for the traffic which my first officer was already looking for at the time. When I looked back down the aircraft was passing through 14250 ft. Instead of doing a hard nose over I smoothly, but firmly, stopped the climb at 14330 ft and immediately returned to 14000 ft. There was no comment from departure concerning our deviation and were soon handed off to ZNY without further incident. Simply put, I made a mistake. Both heads were out the window during other than level flight. I have since adopted a policy that the PNF will look for traffic while the PF does just that -- fly! I learned a lesson -- hopefully without loss.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR LTT FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC. THE FLC RETURNED TO THEIR PROPER ALT WITH NO CONFLICT.
Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO ROBINSVILLE VOR AFTER DEPARTING JFK UP TO 14000 FT. PASSING 13000 FT, WE WERE GIVEN A TA FROM N90. I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND SELECTED 14000 FT IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW AND BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE TFC WHICH MY FO WAS ALREADY LOOKING FOR AT THE TIME. WHEN I LOOKED BACK DOWN THE ACFT WAS PASSING THROUGH 14250 FT. INSTEAD OF DOING A HARD NOSE OVER I SMOOTHLY, BUT FIRMLY, STOPPED THE CLB AT 14330 FT AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 14000 FT. THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM DEP CONCERNING OUR DEV AND WERE SOON HANDED OFF TO ZNY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SIMPLY PUT, I MADE A MISTAKE. BOTH HEADS WERE OUT THE WINDOW DURING OTHER THAN LEVEL FLT. I HAVE SINCE ADOPTED A POLICY THAT THE PNF WILL LOOK FOR TFC WHILE THE PF DOES JUST THAT -- FLY! I LEARNED A LESSON -- HOPEFULLY WITHOUT LOSS.
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.