MD82 altitude overshot N-90.

Attributes
ACN	427890
Time
Date	199902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 7510 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	427890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On feb/thu/99, flight X was being operated under far part 121, ewr and fll. I was first officer and PF on this flight and had received clearance to level off at 6000 ft after departure. I was hand flying the airplane on the initial departure for pilot proficiency, and had intercepted the outbound course on the SID. The SID being a fairly complicated one, (newark 6, white transition). I had become preoccupied with horizontal navigation and failed to anticipate the approaching leveloff at 6000 ft MSL until I was already passing 6200 ft. I immediately arrested the climb and descended back down to the assigned altitude, but not before a total deviation of 300-400 ft from assigned altitude had occurred. Standard procedure at our airline calls for the PNF to advise the PF aloud when we are within 1000 ft of the assigned leveloff altitude so that the PF is aware of the approaching vertical clearance limit, and can begin slowing his vertical rate to avoid an altitude deviation. In this case I received no alert of any kind from the PNF of the approaching altitude assignment. When I questioned him about it, he remarked that it was my leg and that it was my responsibility to adhere to any and all clrncs. This was definitely a case of a breakdown in crew coordination and communication, which caused an altitude deviation of 300-400 ft. Quite senseless, indeed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD82 ALT OVERSHOT N-90.

Narrative: ON FEB/THU/99, FLT X WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER FAR PART 121, EWR AND FLL. I WAS FO AND PF ON THIS FLT AND HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO LEVEL OFF AT 6000 FT AFTER DEP. I WAS HAND FLYING THE AIRPLANE ON THE INITIAL DEP FOR PLT PROFICIENCY, AND HAD INTERCEPTED THE OUTBOUND COURSE ON THE SID. THE SID BEING A FAIRLY COMPLICATED ONE, (NEWARK 6, WHITE TRANSITION). I HAD BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH HORIZ NAV AND FAILED TO ANTICIPATE THE APCHING LEVELOFF AT 6000 FT MSL UNTIL I WAS ALREADY PASSING 6200 FT. I IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED THE CLB AND DSNDED BACK DOWN TO THE ASSIGNED ALT, BUT NOT BEFORE A TOTAL DEV OF 300-400 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT HAD OCCURRED. STANDARD PROC AT OUR AIRLINE CALLS FOR THE PNF TO ADVISE THE PF ALOUD WHEN WE ARE WITHIN 1000 FT OF THE ASSIGNED LEVELOFF ALT SO THAT THE PF IS AWARE OF THE APCHING VERT CLRNC LIMIT, AND CAN BEGIN SLOWING HIS VERT RATE TO AVOID AN ALTDEV. IN THIS CASE I RECEIVED NO ALERT OF ANY KIND FROM THE PNF OF THE APCHING ALT ASSIGNMENT. WHEN I QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT IT, HE REMARKED THAT IT WAS MY LEG AND THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ADHERE TO ANY AND ALL CLRNCS. THIS WAS DEFINITELY A CASE OF A BREAKDOWN IN CREW COORD AND COM, WHICH CAUSED AN ALTDEV OF 300-400 FT. QUITE SENSELESS, INDEED.

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.