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A potential conflict occurs as a DC9 overshot its assigned altitude of 5000 ft with traffic 1 mi at 6000 ft. Aircraft were in class B of iah, tx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 419240 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199811 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : iah airport : iah |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iah |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | departure other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 419240 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 419272 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 5500 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ATC reported traffic at 11 O'clock position, 1 mi. We were assigned 5000 ft MSL with traffic in sight. I noticed first officer climbing fast at 4900 ft, made call of 'level here at 5000 ft.' he responded and started to level. I continued to watch traffic. Altitude alert went off at 5300 ft MSL, went to 5400 ft before he started back down to 5000 ft. First officer distraction by traffic. First officer more concerned with traffic than flying aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 419272: given 5000 ft as altitude limit, 180 degree heading, no speed limit. Engaged autoplt at 4500 ft to level off with 340 KIAS. At 4400 ft TA and 4800 ft RA was announced. Disengaged autoplt, turned to heading 200 degrees while getting a visual on the traffic. With aircraft out of trim and 340 KIAS, a traffic alert, I was only able to level off at 5400 ft before returning to 5000 ft. The only reaction from ATC was 'I assigned you 5000 ft.' the DC9 aircraft is not able to trim out leveloff always at altitude to within +/- 150 ft due to type of system, airspeed and rate of climb. ATC never gave crew TA, but was only concerned of us not being at 5000 ft, as though the situation of traffic avoidance snuck up on him.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OCCURS AS A DC9 OVERSHOT ITS ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000 FT WITH TFC 1 MI AT 6000 FT. ACFT WERE IN CLASS B OF IAH, TX.
Narrative: ATC RPTED TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI. WE WERE ASSIGNED 5000 FT MSL WITH TFC IN SIGHT. I NOTICED FO CLBING FAST AT 4900 FT, MADE CALL OF 'LEVEL HERE AT 5000 FT.' HE RESPONDED AND STARTED TO LEVEL. I CONTINUED TO WATCH TFC. ALT ALERT WENT OFF AT 5300 FT MSL, WENT TO 5400 FT BEFORE HE STARTED BACK DOWN TO 5000 FT. FO DISTR BY TFC. FO MORE CONCERNED WITH TFC THAN FLYING ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419272: GIVEN 5000 FT AS ALT LIMIT, 180 DEG HDG, NO SPD LIMIT. ENGAGED AUTOPLT AT 4500 FT TO LEVEL OFF WITH 340 KIAS. AT 4400 FT TA AND 4800 FT RA WAS ANNOUNCED. DISENGAGED AUTOPLT, TURNED TO HDG 200 DEGS WHILE GETTING A VISUAL ON THE TFC. WITH ACFT OUT OF TRIM AND 340 KIAS, A TFC ALERT, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO LEVEL OFF AT 5400 FT BEFORE RETURNING TO 5000 FT. THE ONLY REACTION FROM ATC WAS 'I ASSIGNED YOU 5000 FT.' THE DC9 ACFT IS NOT ABLE TO TRIM OUT LEVELOFF ALWAYS AT ALT TO WITHIN +/- 150 FT DUE TO TYPE OF SYS, AIRSPD AND RATE OF CLB. ATC NEVER GAVE CREW TA, BUT WAS ONLY CONCERNED OF US NOT BEING AT 5000 FT, AS THOUGH THE SIT OF TFC AVOIDANCE SNUCK UP ON HIM.
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.