First officer of a DC10 descended from assigned altitude during high altitude cruise due to fatigue of hand flying the aircraft since the autoplt was OTS.

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Attributes
ACN	383930
Time
Date	199710
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zan
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	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 : 160 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	383930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
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:

No autoplt working, I had to hand fly the aircraft and after 5 hours, the aircraft exceeded the 300 ft deviation limit by 10 ft. With no autoplt working I believe ATC should give the aircraft a block altitude of greater than 300 ft (suggest 500 ft) if the flight is going to be longer than 3 hours. The way it is now you get the warning when you already exceed the FAA limit. At the time of the deviation there was no aircraft within 40 NM.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A DC10 DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT DURING HIGH ALT CRUISE DUE TO FATIGUE OF HAND FLYING THE ACFT SINCE THE AUTOPLT WAS OTS.

Narrative: NO AUTOPLT WORKING, I HAD TO HAND FLY THE ACFT AND AFTER 5 HRS, THE ACFT EXCEEDED THE 300 FT DEV LIMIT BY 10 FT. WITH NO AUTOPLT WORKING I BELIEVE ATC SHOULD GIVE THE ACFT A BLOCK ALT OF GREATER THAN 300 FT (SUGGEST 500 FT) IF THE FLT IS GOING TO BE LONGER THAN 3 HRS. THE WAY IT IS NOW YOU GET THE WARNING WHEN YOU ALREADY EXCEED THE FAA LIMIT. AT THE TIME OF THE DEV THERE WAS NO ACFT WITHIN 40 NM.

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.