 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Cga CL60 flight crew, with maintenance person, become distracted with maintenance check item and allow aircraft to descend below assigned altitude. Controller alerts flight crew to altitude deviation. Aircraft returns to assigned altitude until visual approach clearance is issued.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411040 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dal |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2650 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Challenger CL600 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 411040 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| 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:
On descent into dal, as part of the maintenance requirement, we deployed the auxiliary generator to test its operation, prior to the aircraft going for inspection at that airport. The procedure is somewhat involved, and, as PNF, I was devoting some time in assisting the maintenance specialist in accomplishing the necessary items, while doing my non flying duties. We had been cleared to 3000 ft in anticipation of a visual approach to runway 13L at dal. Because of the abnormal confign of the electrical system with the air driven generator deployed, the copilot who was PF in the left seat, was hand flying the aircraft. In my dual role, I probably was negligent in xchking him, and he may have become distracted by what we were doing, and inadvertently, we descended to approximately 2650 ft. At this point, we were advised by ATC to maintain 3000 ft. We climbed immediately to 3000 ft, and continued to a visual approach to runway 13L. The noise level is extremely high during the air driven generator deployment and can be distracting. We should have initiated the test procedure a little sooner, and I should have more strongly emphasized to the sic the importance of 'flying the airplane.' fortunately, there were no conflicts.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CGA CL60 FLC, WITH MAINT PERSON, BECOME DISTRACTED WITH MAINT CHK ITEM AND ALLOW ACFT TO DSND BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. CTLR ALERTS FLC TO ALTDEV. ACFT RETURNS TO ASSIGNED ALT UNTIL VISUAL APCH CLRNC IS ISSUED.
Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO DAL, AS PART OF THE MAINT REQUIREMENT, WE DEPLOYED THE AUX GENERATOR TO TEST ITS OP, PRIOR TO THE ACFT GOING FOR INSPECTION AT THAT ARPT. THE PROC IS SOMEWHAT INVOLVED, AND, AS PNF, I WAS DEVOTING SOME TIME IN ASSISTING THE MAINT SPECIALIST IN ACCOMPLISHING THE NECESSARY ITEMS, WHILE DOING MY NON FLYING DUTIES. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 3000 FT IN ANTICIPATION OF A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 13L AT DAL. BECAUSE OF THE ABNORMAL CONFIGN OF THE ELECTRICAL SYS WITH THE AIR DRIVEN GENERATOR DEPLOYED, THE COPLT WHO WAS PF IN THE L SEAT, WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT. IN MY DUAL ROLE, I PROBABLY WAS NEGLIGENT IN XCHKING HIM, AND HE MAY HAVE BECOME DISTRACTED BY WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND INADVERTENTLY, WE DSNDED TO APPROX 2650 FT. AT THIS POINT, WE WERE ADVISED BY ATC TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO 3000 FT, AND CONTINUED TO A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 13L. THE NOISE LEVEL IS EXTREMELY HIGH DURING THE AIR DRIVEN GENERATOR DEPLOYMENT AND CAN BE DISTRACTING. WE SHOULD HAVE INITIATED THE TEST PROC A LITTLE SOONER, AND I SHOULD HAVE MORE STRONGLY EMPHASIZED TO THE SIC THE IMPORTANCE OF 'FLYING THE AIRPLANE.' FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS.
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.