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An air carrier B737 flight crew descended below their assigned altitude while the captain was getting the ATIS and the first officer was hand flying the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 385810 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bld |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10600 flight time type : 3200 |
| ASRS Report | 385810 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 3950 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 385707 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far 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:
Descending to cross fuzzy intersection at 18000 ft. I was off getting ATIS (very long, had to listen to it 3 times). First officer was hand flying with flight director off for practice. I looked up and noticed him approaching 18000 ft still descending at 2000 FPM. I queried him thinking he might have gotten a lower clearance, but 18000 ft was still set in MCP alerter. He realized his error and reversed descent, however, we got down as low as 17500 ft. If I was not 1/2 out of the loop, ie: gotten ATIS earlier I would have monitored more closely. My air carrier encourages flying occasionally with magic (flight director, autoplt, etc) off to maintain proficiency. Kind of a catch 22. Supplemental information from acn 385707: aircraft was being flown and radios were being operated by the PF. The PNF was busy on company frequency and was distracted.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR B737 FLC DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHILE THE CAPT WAS GETTING THE ATIS AND THE FO WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT.
Narrative: DSNDING TO CROSS FUZZY INTXN AT 18000 FT. I WAS OFF GETTING ATIS (VERY LONG, HAD TO LISTEN TO IT 3 TIMES). FO WAS HAND FLYING WITH FLT DIRECTOR OFF FOR PRACTICE. I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED HIM APCHING 18000 FT STILL DSNDING AT 2000 FPM. I QUERIED HIM THINKING HE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN A LOWER CLRNC, BUT 18000 FT WAS STILL SET IN MCP ALERTER. HE REALIZED HIS ERROR AND REVERSED DSCNT, HOWEVER, WE GOT DOWN AS LOW AS 17500 FT. IF I WAS NOT 1/2 OUT OF THE LOOP, IE: GOTTEN ATIS EARLIER I WOULD HAVE MONITORED MORE CLOSELY. MY ACR ENCOURAGES FLYING OCCASIONALLY WITH MAGIC (FLT DIRECTOR, AUTOPLT, ETC) OFF TO MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY. KIND OF A CATCH 22. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 385707: ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN AND RADIOS WERE BEING OPERATED BY THE PF. THE PNF WAS BUSY ON COMPANY FREQ AND WAS DISTRACTED.
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.