Altitude excursion during high altitude cruise by flight crew of an MD11.

Attributes
ACN	403917
Time
Date	199805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	403917
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was acting as PNF while receiving my IOE on the MD11. The check captain was flying in the right seat and was the PF. After departing cvg for europe, we were at cruise altitude of 33000 ft MSL near syracuse, ny. The WX was deteriorating rapidly with multiple thunderstorms, extreme turbulence, strong winds, and according to the center, tornadic activity. It was necessary to make many lateral deviations to avoid the WX, and we were both concentrating on the WX radar while being given several changes to our clearance by ZNY. I was very busy talking on the radio and attempting to check our route on the charts and maps. Center called and asked our altitude, at which point we both realized that the airplane (which was on autoplt at all times) was level at 32000 ft. The PF immediately climbed back to 33000 ft. There was never an altitude warning from the autoplt or altimeter system, and neither of us can explain how the altitude changed. It is possible that in all the confusion taking place, that the PF turned the altitude control knob instead of the heading knob to attempt a WX deviation. The 2 knobs are next to each other and are almost identical on this airplane. The controller said that there was no conflict and 'no problem.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION DURING HIGH ALT CRUISE BY FLC OF AN MD11.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS PNF WHILE RECEIVING MY IOE ON THE MD11. THE CHK CAPT WAS FLYING IN THE R SEAT AND WAS THE PF. AFTER DEPARTING CVG FOR EUROPE, WE WERE AT CRUISE ALT OF 33000 FT MSL NEAR SYRACUSE, NY. THE WX WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY WITH MULTIPLE TSTMS, EXTREME TURB, STRONG WINDS, AND ACCORDING TO THE CTR, TORNADIC ACTIVITY. IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE MANY LATERAL DEVS TO AVOID THE WX, AND WE WERE BOTH CONCENTRATING ON THE WX RADAR WHILE BEING GIVEN SEVERAL CHANGES TO OUR CLRNC BY ZNY. I WAS VERY BUSY TALKING ON THE RADIO AND ATTEMPTING TO CHK OUR RTE ON THE CHARTS AND MAPS. CTR CALLED AND ASKED OUR ALT, AT WHICH POINT WE BOTH REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE (WHICH WAS ON AUTOPLT AT ALL TIMES) WAS LEVEL AT 32000 FT. THE PF IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 33000 FT. THERE WAS NEVER AN ALT WARNING FROM THE AUTOPLT OR ALTIMETER SYS, AND NEITHER OF US CAN EXPLAIN HOW THE ALT CHANGED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IN ALL THE CONFUSION TAKING PLACE, THAT THE PF TURNED THE ALT CTL KNOB INSTEAD OF THE HEADING KNOB TO ATTEMPT A WX DEV. THE 2 KNOBS ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL ON THIS AIRPLANE. THE CTLR SAID THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND 'NO PROB.'

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.