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Flight crew of an MD80 overshot descent altitude due to the autoplt altitude capture did not level aircraft at the set altitude and the altitude alerter was found to be set on a lower altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 391705 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199801 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zdc |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24700 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 450 |
| ASRS Report | 391705 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 11000 |
| ASRS Report | 391800 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| 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 were descending to FL250 in moderate chop. I was the PF. We had selected FL250 in the altitude alerter and the PNF confirmed it. I used an aggressive rate of descent (approximately 2000 FPM) to escape the turbulence. At about FL260 a flight attendant entered the cockpit to inquire about the turbulence. At FL250 we received a TA for traffic. I began a leveloff and questioned the PNF about the altitude we were cleared to since the altitude alerter now showed FL240. I initiated a rapid climb back to FL250 manually. The lowest altitude either of us saw was FL247.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MD80 OVERSHOT DSCNT ALT DUE TO THE AUTOPLT ALT CAPTURE DID NOT LEVEL ACFT AT THE SET ALT AND THE ALT ALERTER WAS FOUND TO BE SET ON A LOWER ALT.
Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING TO FL250 IN MODERATE CHOP. I WAS THE PF. WE HAD SELECTED FL250 IN THE ALT ALERTER AND THE PNF CONFIRMED IT. I USED AN AGGRESSIVE RATE OF DSCNT (APPROX 2000 FPM) TO ESCAPE THE TURB. AT ABOUT FL260 A FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE TURB. AT FL250 WE RECEIVED A TA FOR TFC. I BEGAN A LEVELOFF AND QUESTIONED THE PNF ABOUT THE ALT WE WERE CLRED TO SINCE THE ALT ALERTER NOW SHOWED FL240. I INITIATED A RAPID CLB BACK TO FL250 MANUALLY. THE LOWEST ALT EITHER OF US SAW WAS FL247.
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.