An A310 freighter climbs above its assigned altitude during the loop departure procedure out of lax,...

Attributes
ACN	429355
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lax.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : loop 2 enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	429355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : mode c / radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were assigned the loop departure from lax, captain was PF and was initially hand flying the aircraft. We were given several step climbs and heading changes and then cleared 'direct to lax VOR, resume loop 2, maintain 15000 ft.' as per company procedures, first officer makes all FMS inputs below 10000 ft when captain is flying and vice versa when first officer is flying. When we were cleared direct to lax VOR, first officer made a mistake on the FMS entry initially and then was attempting to correct it as we approached the lax VOR. At approximately 13700 ft, I put the autoplt on, called '14000 ft for 15000 ft,' adjusted the heading select to 'manually' fly the SID. I directed my attention to the FMS momentarily to see how we were doing, when I saw that the autoplt had not captured 15000 ft. The FMS problem was 'solved' and we went on our way with no apparent conflict or query from ATC other than to ask if we were proceeding out of lax on the daggett transition. Factors and errors: 'busy' departure, error in FMS entry, captain (PF) getting involved in FMS problem instead of 'strictly' flying the aircraft and observing the autoplt, autoplt not capturing altitude as it should have.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A310 FREIGHTER CLBS ABOVE ITS ASSIGNED ALT DURING THE LOOP DEP PROC OUT OF LAX, CA.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED THE LOOP DEP FROM LAX, CAPT WAS PF AND WAS INITIALLY HAND FLYING THE ACFT. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL STEP CLBS AND HDG CHANGES AND THEN CLRED 'DIRECT TO LAX VOR, RESUME LOOP 2, MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' AS PER COMPANY PROCS, FO MAKES ALL FMS INPUTS BELOW 10000 FT WHEN CAPT IS FLYING AND VICE VERSA WHEN FO IS FLYING. WHEN WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO LAX VOR, FO MADE A MISTAKE ON THE FMS ENTRY INITIALLY AND THEN WAS ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT IT AS WE APCHED THE LAX VOR. AT APPROX 13700 FT, I PUT THE AUTOPLT ON, CALLED '14000 FT FOR 15000 FT,' ADJUSTED THE HDG SELECT TO 'MANUALLY' FLY THE SID. I DIRECTED MY ATTN TO THE FMS MOMENTARILY TO SEE HOW WE WERE DOING, WHEN I SAW THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD NOT CAPTURED 15000 FT. THE FMS PROB WAS 'SOLVED' AND WE WENT ON OUR WAY WITH NO APPARENT CONFLICT OR QUERY FROM ATC OTHER THAN TO ASK IF WE WERE PROCEEDING OUT OF LAX ON THE DAGGETT TRANSITION. FACTORS AND ERRORS: 'BUSY' DEP, ERROR IN FMS ENTRY, CAPT (PF) GETTING INVOLVED IN FMS PROB INSTEAD OF 'STRICTLY' FLYING THE ACFT AND OBSERVING THE AUTOPLT, AUTOPLT NOT CAPTURING ALT AS IT SHOULD HAVE.

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.

An A310 freighter climbs above its assigned altitude during the loop departure procedure out of lax, ca.