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E120 crew departs cleared altitude due to autoplt operation error in ZTL airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 427520 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sug |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 181 flight time total : 1312 flight time type : 560 |
| ASRS Report | 427520 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Flight from atl to avl. We were at cruise altitude of FL190 and given descent at pilot's discretion to 11000 ft. Approximately 3-4 mins later, I (PF) told captain I was going to start the descent. I reset the altimeter from 29.92 to 30.05 and accidentally hit the 'climb' mode on the autoplt, instead of the 'descent' mode. I called for the descent and approach checklist. The captain read the first item on the checklist when I noticed the altitude at FL194 (with altimeter at 30.05). At that moment, both the captain and I pushed the yoke over. I disconnected the autoplt, pulled back the power, and began a descent. At no time did the altimeter read greater than FL194. The incident occurred because I hit the wrong button on the autoplt and did not check that the autoplt was doing what I wanted it to do. It was the second night of continuous duty overnights, but rest was not a factor.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: E120 CREW DEPARTS CLRED ALT DUE TO AUTOPLT OP ERROR IN ZTL AIRSPACE.
Narrative: FLT FROM ATL TO AVL. WE WERE AT CRUISE ALT OF FL190 AND GIVEN DSCNT AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO 11000 FT. APPROX 3-4 MINS LATER, I (PF) TOLD CAPT I WAS GOING TO START THE DSCNT. I RESET THE ALTIMETER FROM 29.92 TO 30.05 AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE 'CLB' MODE ON THE AUTOPLT, INSTEAD OF THE 'DSCNT' MODE. I CALLED FOR THE DSCNT AND APCH CHKLIST. THE CAPT READ THE FIRST ITEM ON THE CHKLIST WHEN I NOTICED THE ALT AT FL194 (WITH ALTIMETER AT 30.05). AT THAT MOMENT, BOTH THE CAPT AND I PUSHED THE YOKE OVER. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, PULLED BACK THE PWR, AND BEGAN A DSCNT. AT NO TIME DID THE ALTIMETER READ GREATER THAN FL194. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON ON THE AUTOPLT AND DID NOT CHK THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS DOING WHAT I WANTED IT TO DO. IT WAS THE SECOND NIGHT OF CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHTS, BUT REST WAS NOT A FACTOR.
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.