<< >> NASA ASRS Report 394048, February 1998

Flight crew of mdt sets wrong altitude in the altitude alert on descent. They level off above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	394048
Time
Date	199802
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
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 : 8500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	394048
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approach cleared us from 21000 ft to 12000 ft but first officer put 17000 ft in altitude alerter. I was preoccupied with tuning FMS and other radios for visual to runway 31 at lga. We leveled at 17000 ft. A few mins later ATC informed us we were cleared to 12000 ft upon which we descended. Later in same flight we were cleared to descend to 8000 ft but first officer put 7000 ft in the alerter. I had missed hearing the call so descended to 7000 ft as the first officer says he read back. This first officer is very inexperienced for the type of flying -- high performance aircraft and busy terminal areas. He comes from a flight instructing only background. With more and more of these guys 'buying' their seat in the aircraft it is really time for me to situation up and pay extra attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MDT SETS WRONG ALT IN THE ALT ALERT ON DSCNT. THEY LEVEL OFF ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: APCH CLRED US FROM 21000 FT TO 12000 FT BUT FO PUT 17000 FT IN ALT ALERTER. I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH TUNING FMS AND OTHER RADIOS FOR VISUAL TO RWY 31 AT LGA. WE LEVELED AT 17000 FT. A FEW MINS LATER ATC INFORMED US WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT UPON WHICH WE DSNDED. LATER IN SAME FLT WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 8000 FT BUT FO PUT 7000 FT IN THE ALERTER. I HAD MISSED HEARING THE CALL SO DSNDED TO 7000 FT AS THE FO SAYS HE READ BACK. THIS FO IS VERY INEXPERIENCED FOR THE TYPE OF FLYING -- HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT AND BUSY TERMINAL AREAS. HE COMES FROM A FLT INSTRUCTING ONLY BACKGROUND. WITH MORE AND MORE OF THESE GUYS 'BUYING' THEIR SEAT IN THE ACFT IT IS REALLY TIME FOR ME TO SIT UP AND PAY EXTRA ATTN.

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.