<< >> NASA ASRS Report 406870, June 1998

Captain of a 4 engine widebody transport cargo aircraft descended below assigned altitude during vectors to an ILS approach. Reporter immediately climbed back to assigned and there was no comment from approach.

Attributes
ACN	406870
Time
Date	199806
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fra
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fra
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	406870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
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:

Fra arrival had assigned a 280 degree heading, dscnd to FL60 to intercept and proceed on the ILS runway 25L. We had been very busy, and a new (first flight in type) first officer on IOE increased the workload. The FL70 to FL60 call had been made, but while diverted to other cockpit actions, I descended to FL55 before being aware of problem. I immediately climbed back to FL60 until interception of GS. Arrival radar made no comment and time off altitude was very short. I was spread thinly with monitoring cockpit activity due to the new IOE first officer and comments from the flight engineer regarding parting slots. Solution is partially to ensure that sterile cockpit is observed -- parking locations should not have been being discussed -- and to continue to employ the autoplt during complex approachs with unfamiliar crew members on IOE.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A 4 ENG WDB CARGO ACFT DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING VECTORS TO AN ILS APCH. RPTR IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO ASSIGNED AND THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM APCH.

Narrative: FRA ARR HAD ASSIGNED A 280 DEG HDG, DSCND TO FL60 TO INTERCEPT AND PROCEED ON THE ILS RWY 25L. WE HAD BEEN VERY BUSY, AND A NEW (FIRST FLT IN TYPE) FO ON IOE INCREASED THE WORKLOAD. THE FL70 TO FL60 CALL HAD BEEN MADE, BUT WHILE DIVERTED TO OTHER COCKPIT ACTIONS, I DSNDED TO FL55 BEFORE BEING AWARE OF PROB. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO FL60 UNTIL INTERCEPTION OF GS. ARR RADAR MADE NO COMMENT AND TIME OFF ALT WAS VERY SHORT. I WAS SPREAD THINLY WITH MONITORING COCKPIT ACTIVITY DUE TO THE NEW IOE FO AND COMMENTS FROM THE FE REGARDING PARTING SLOTS. SOLUTION IS PARTIALLY TO ENSURE THAT STERILE COCKPIT IS OBSERVED -- PARKING LOCATIONS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BEING DISCUSSED -- AND TO CONTINUE TO EMPLOY THE AUTOPLT DURING COMPLEX APCHS WITH UNFAMILIAR CREW MEMBERS ON IOE.

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.