<< >> NASA ASRS Report 435170, April 1999

As MD80 flight crew leveled at the wrong altitude, ZFW queried as to their altitude then reassigned their present altitude.

Attributes
ACN	435170
Time
Date	199904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lzz.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 22000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	435170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	435171
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had just switched from ZHU to ZFW and upon check-in reported altitude as FL220. ZFW queried us about the altitude and we confirmed it to be FL220 and the controller said ok. The captain and I then discussed the altitude assigned and were not absolutely sure that FL220 was correct because ZHU had stated that FL210 would be our final. The assigned altitude of FL210 had been confirmed on the DFGS panel and the fmas which added to the lack of confidence in FL220 assignment. At this time we are not sure how FL220 became set and armed with the only explanations being that either I misset it or the set knob slipped a digit after being set. Supplemental information from acn 435171: I am not sure how the confusion occurred, but I will ensure that I do not allow concurrent duties in the future to distract me to the point I was.

Related reports:

• Air carrier departure from sfo described a TCAS RA event sho...
• The PIC of an SF340 climbs 400 ft above his reassigned altit...
• After handoff to center, flight was queried reference altitu...
• An air carrier medium large transport crew failed to make an...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS MD80 FLC LEVELED AT THE WRONG ALT, ZFW QUERIED AS TO THEIR ALT THEN REASSIGNED THEIR PRESENT ALT.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST SWITCHED FROM ZHU TO ZFW AND UPON CHK-IN RPTED ALT AS FL220. ZFW QUERIED US ABOUT THE ALT AND WE CONFIRMED IT TO BE FL220 AND THE CTLR SAID OK. THE CAPT AND I THEN DISCUSSED THE ALT ASSIGNED AND WERE NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT FL220 WAS CORRECT BECAUSE ZHU HAD STATED THAT FL210 WOULD BE OUR FINAL. THE ASSIGNED ALT OF FL210 HAD BEEN CONFIRMED ON THE DFGS PANEL AND THE FMAS WHICH ADDED TO THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN FL220 ASSIGNMENT. AT THIS TIME WE ARE NOT SURE HOW FL220 BECAME SET AND ARMED WITH THE ONLY EXPLANATIONS BEING THAT EITHER I MISSET IT OR THE SET KNOB SLIPPED A DIGIT AFTER BEING SET. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 435171: I AM NOT SURE HOW THE CONFUSION OCCURRED, BUT I WILL ENSURE THAT I DO NOT ALLOW CONCURRENT DUTIES IN THE FUTURE TO DISTRACT ME TO THE POINT I WAS.

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.