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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Medium large transport aircraft in descent, PF, first officer didn't see autoplt failing to capture level at assigned altitude. Captain reporter prompted first officer of altitude deviation and aircraft was flown back to assigned.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 385280 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rqz |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10750 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : ztl |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 550 |
| ASRS Report | 385280 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 2250 flight time type : 180 |
| ASRS Report | 385749 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On descent to 11000 ft, en route to huntsville, al, the autoplt did not capture the altitude. Passing 12000 ft, we called out 12000 ft for 11000 ft. Approaching 11000 ft, I noticed the aircraft was not reducing descent to capture the altitude. At 11000 ft, I told the first officer, who was flying, that the altitude was not capturing. He disconnected the autoplt and leveled the airplane manually to 11000 ft. The altitude bottomed out at 10750 ft for a few seconds and was brought back to 11000 ft very quickly. Prior to and after this, the autoplt captured the altitudes normally. ATC did not say anything, so I guess they did not notice.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MLG ACFT IN DSCNT, PF, FO DIDN'T SEE AUTOPLT FAILING TO CAPTURE LEVEL AT ASSIGNED ALT. CAPT RPTR PROMPTED FO OF ALTDEV AND ACFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO ASSIGNED.
Narrative: ON DSCNT TO 11000 FT, ENRTE TO HUNTSVILLE, AL, THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CAPTURE THE ALT. PASSING 12000 FT, WE CALLED OUT 12000 FT FOR 11000 FT. APCHING 11000 FT, I NOTICED THE ACFT WAS NOT REDUCING DSCNT TO CAPTURE THE ALT. AT 11000 FT, I TOLD THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, THAT THE ALT WAS NOT CAPTURING. HE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED THE AIRPLANE MANUALLY TO 11000 FT. THE ALT BOTTOMED OUT AT 10750 FT FOR A FEW SECONDS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO 11000 FT VERY QUICKLY. PRIOR TO AND AFTER THIS, THE AUTOPLT CAPTURED THE ALTS NORMALLY. ATC DID NOT SAY ANYTHING, SO I GUESS THEY DID NOT NOTICE.
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.