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First officer of a B727-200 overshot altitude during descent due to a high rate of descent and not arresting it in sufficient time to level off at assigned altitude. The captain took over to stop the descent and the first officer returned the aircraft to assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 423375 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bwi |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24400 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zdc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 423375 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13200 flight time type : 5300 |
| ASRS Report | 424100 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Westminster 3 arrival (mgw.EMI 3) between morgantown VOR and lizio intersection. I was the PF. Center gave us a crossing restr of FL250 at lizio. We had predicted tailwinds of 120 KTS. My total time in type is approximately 150 hours. Scenario: descending out of altitude, I got behind my profile from high tailwinds and attempting to finish the descent checklist. Noting I was behind, I increased my descent rate to approximately 6000 FPM. I did make the crossing restr. I tried to use the autoplt to level off. The autoplt did not change pitch attitude fast enough to stop at FL250. At FL247 I clicked off the autoplt and hand flew it back to FL250. I went through FL245 before stopping descent. Prevention: 1) instead of adding an additional 5 mi to descend, I could have added 10 mi. 2) 'fly the airplane first.' do the checklists second. 3) when using a maximum rate of descent (6000 FPM) don't use the autoplt for leveloff. 4) stay alert when flying on the back side of the clock. 5) ask for a couple of mi on the other side before going to maximum rates of descent. 6) more experience in type will help with my understanding of the B727. Hindsight: I am glad that I learned this lesson at FL250 and not at 5000 ft. Stay well ahead of the descent profile. If I get behind profile, stop the checklists and fly the airplane.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FO OF A B727-200 OVERSHOT ALT DURING DSCNT DUE TO A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT AND NOT ARRESTING IT IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO LEVEL OFF AT ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT TOOK OVER TO STOP THE DSCNT AND THE FO RETURNED THE ACFT TO ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: WESTMINSTER 3 ARR (MGW.EMI 3) BTWN MORGANTOWN VOR AND LIZIO INTXN. I WAS THE PF. CTR GAVE US A XING RESTR OF FL250 AT LIZIO. WE HAD PREDICTED TAILWINDS OF 120 KTS. MY TOTAL TIME IN TYPE IS APPROX 150 HRS. SCENARIO: DSNDING OUT OF ALT, I GOT BEHIND MY PROFILE FROM HIGH TAILWINDS AND ATTEMPTING TO FINISH THE DSCNT CHKLIST. NOTING I WAS BEHIND, I INCREASED MY DSCNT RATE TO APPROX 6000 FPM. I DID MAKE THE XING RESTR. I TRIED TO USE THE AUTOPLT TO LEVEL OFF. THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CHANGE PITCH ATTITUDE FAST ENOUGH TO STOP AT FL250. AT FL247 I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLEW IT BACK TO FL250. I WENT THROUGH FL245 BEFORE STOPPING DSCNT. PREVENTION: 1) INSTEAD OF ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 5 MI TO DSND, I COULD HAVE ADDED 10 MI. 2) 'FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST.' DO THE CHKLISTS SECOND. 3) WHEN USING A MAX RATE OF DSCNT (6000 FPM) DON'T USE THE AUTOPLT FOR LEVELOFF. 4) STAY ALERT WHEN FLYING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK. 5) ASK FOR A COUPLE OF MI ON THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE GOING TO MAX RATES OF DSCNT. 6) MORE EXPERIENCE IN TYPE WILL HELP WITH MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE B727. HINDSIGHT: I AM GLAD THAT I LEARNED THIS LESSON AT FL250 AND NOT AT 5000 FT. STAY WELL AHEAD OF THE DSCNT PROFILE. IF I GET BEHIND PROFILE, STOP THE CHKLISTS AND FLY THE AIRPLANE.
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.