 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
MD80S aircraft in cruise was given descent clearance. Just as clearance received flight attendant reported fumes in the aircraft. First officer went back to check before setting in the new altitude, but captain reporter sets it in error. Controller intervenes when noting aircraft descending through assigned.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 395950 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cle |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 395950 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| ASRS Report | 395948 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cruising at FL350 working ZOB. Receiving clearance from cle when flight attendant came through door reporting fumes in forward galley. First officer read back clearance and both he and I asked flight attendant several brief questions. I was flying and asked first officer to go back and investigate. I then noticed that our new descent altitude had not been set and I did so as the first officer was leaving the cockpit. I set FL290 having understood our clearance as descend and cross dewit intersection at FL290 and 290 KTS. Approximately leaving FL310 descending cle issued a speed reduction to 280 KTS. About 30 seconds later I asked if they wanted the speed or altitude at dewit. They asked our altitude, which I am not certain of at this time, but I know it was well above FL290 but close to, if not below, FL310. Cle cleared to FL280 and commented that our original assigned altitude had been FL310 not FL290. First officer returned to the cockpit a few mins later and I explained to him what had occurred. Obvious case of distraction, coupled with poor cockpit discipline towards altitude setting and verification procedures, by both myself and first officer.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80S ACFT IN CRUISE WAS GIVEN DSCNT CLRNC. JUST AS CLRNC RECEIVED FLT ATTENDANT RPTED FUMES IN THE ACFT. FO WENT BACK TO CHK BEFORE SETTING IN THE NEW ALT, BUT CAPT RPTR SETS IT IN ERROR. CTLR INTERVENES WHEN NOTING ACFT DSNDING THROUGH ASSIGNED.
Narrative: CRUISING AT FL350 WORKING ZOB. RECEIVING CLRNC FROM CLE WHEN FLT ATTENDANT CAME THROUGH DOOR RPTING FUMES IN FORWARD GALLEY. FO READ BACK CLRNC AND BOTH HE AND I ASKED FLT ATTENDANT SEVERAL BRIEF QUESTIONS. I WAS FLYING AND ASKED FO TO GO BACK AND INVESTIGATE. I THEN NOTICED THAT OUR NEW DSCNT ALT HAD NOT BEEN SET AND I DID SO AS THE FO WAS LEAVING THE COCKPIT. I SET FL290 HAVING UNDERSTOOD OUR CLRNC AS DSND AND CROSS DEWIT INTXN AT FL290 AND 290 KTS. APPROX LEAVING FL310 DSNDING CLE ISSUED A SPD REDUCTION TO 280 KTS. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER I ASKED IF THEY WANTED THE SPD OR ALT AT DEWIT. THEY ASKED OUR ALT, WHICH I AM NOT CERTAIN OF AT THIS TIME, BUT I KNOW IT WAS WELL ABOVE FL290 BUT CLOSE TO, IF NOT BELOW, FL310. CLE CLRED TO FL280 AND COMMENTED THAT OUR ORIGINAL ASSIGNED ALT HAD BEEN FL310 NOT FL290. FO RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT A FEW MINS LATER AND I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT HAD OCCURRED. OBVIOUS CASE OF DISTR, COUPLED WITH POOR COCKPIT DISCIPLINE TOWARDS ALT SETTING AND VERIFICATION PROCS, BY BOTH MYSELF AND FO.
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.