<< >> NASA ASRS Report 386700, November 1997

An air carrier B737 flight crew overshot their assigned altitude. Both pilots were distraction by other activities during a critical phase of flight.

Attributes
ACN	386700
Time
Date	199711
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	386700
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified 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 were flight XXX flying an older 200 series plane in which the autoplt is not capable of automatic leveloff. 1000 ft prior to leveloff (planned FL260), I gave the captain a 1000 ft call, which he acknowledged. He was eating a sandwich and flying and appeared to be paying attention. I was then completing the logbook. The next thing I heard was the chime of the altitude alerter. I saw that our altitude was FL266 and climbing. I called out, 'we are supposed to be at FL260' and the captain pushed the nose over and leveled at FL260 as assigned. ZAB never said anything and the radio was quiet for another 10 mins or so. I believe that this could have been avoided had we both been paying attention during the climb, me for assuming the captain was aware of the situation, and the captain perhaps was used to flying a -300/500 series plane in which the autoplt does leveloff by itself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 FLC OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. BOTH PLTS WERE DISTR BY OTHER ACTIVITIES DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT.

Narrative: WE WERE FLT XXX FLYING AN OLDER 200 SERIES PLANE IN WHICH THE AUTOPLT IS NOT CAPABLE OF AUTOMATIC LEVELOFF. 1000 FT PRIOR TO LEVELOFF (PLANNED FL260), I GAVE THE CAPT A 1000 FT CALL, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. HE WAS EATING A SANDWICH AND FLYING AND APPEARED TO BE PAYING ATTN. I WAS THEN COMPLETING THE LOGBOOK. THE NEXT THING I HEARD WAS THE CHIME OF THE ALT ALERTER. I SAW THAT OUR ALT WAS FL266 AND CLBING. I CALLED OUT, 'WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL260' AND THE CAPT PUSHED THE NOSE OVER AND LEVELED AT FL260 AS ASSIGNED. ZAB NEVER SAID ANYTHING AND THE RADIO WAS QUIET FOR ANOTHER 10 MINS OR SO. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE BOTH BEEN PAYING ATTN DURING THE CLB, ME FOR ASSUMING THE CAPT WAS AWARE OF THE SIT, AND THE CAPT PERHAPS WAS USED TO FLYING A -300/500 SERIES PLANE IN WHICH THE AUTOPLT DOES LEVELOFF BY ITSELF.

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.