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A king air 100 pilot descends below his assigned altitude during descent. Claims that the autoplt flight director failed to capture the altitude. He was distracted with passenger on board.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 393290 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zjx |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15600 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | King Air 100 A/B |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 393290 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cruising at assigned altitude of 17000 ft MSL, ZJX told me to descend to 16000 ft. With no copilot, I was talking with the passenger about the ground transportation arrangements at the destination (stuart, fl). Altitude capture did not occur with the autoplt/flight director/preselect and we descended to about 15600 ft before I noticed it and quickly climbed back to 16000 ft. Evidently no ATC problem was created but it emphasizes the need to be vigilant and not talk with passenger (other than at straight and level cruise).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A KING AIR 100 PLT DSNDS BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT DURING DSCNT. CLAIMS THAT THE AUTOPLT FLT DIRECTOR FAILED TO CAPTURE THE ALT. HE WAS DISTRACTED WITH PAX ON BOARD.
Narrative: CRUISING AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 17000 FT MSL, ZJX TOLD ME TO DSND TO 16000 FT. WITH NO COPLT, I WAS TALKING WITH THE PAX ABOUT THE GND TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS AT THE DEST (STUART, FL). ALT CAPTURE DID NOT OCCUR WITH THE AUTOPLT/FLT DIRECTOR/PRESELECT AND WE DSNDED TO ABOUT 15600 FT BEFORE I NOTICED IT AND QUICKLY CLBED BACK TO 16000 FT. EVIDENTLY NO ATC PROB WAS CREATED BUT IT EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO BE VIGILANT AND NOT TALK WITH PAX (OTHER THAN AT STRAIGHT AND LEVEL CRUISE).
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.