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B757 captain, during climb out, purposely disconnected the autoplt, selected control wheel steering, and began trimming aileron and rudder. VNAV was not engaged and they blew through their assigned altitude by 600 ft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 448036 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : dunks |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | departure sid : palace two |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 448036 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On a very uneventful evening, we left dtw, flying the palace 2 SID. After a runway 21C takeoff and a short vector to 235 degrees, we were cleared direct to dunks, climbing to 10000 ft. At about that point, we were cleared to 17000 ft. As we passed 13000 ft, the captain switched autoplt modes by disconnecting the entire autoplt with the control yoke push button, then selecting 'control wheel steering' while fine tuning the aileron and rudder trim. Needless to say, 'VNAV' was still disengaged. Very shortly, ATC directed we stop our climb at 15000 ft, which I set into the altitude warning indicator with less than 1000 ft to go. After responding to a sector frequency change (head down), I looked up to see 15400 ft on the altimeter. The captain smoothly maneuvered the airplane to a 2000 FPM descent to 15000 ft. Highest altitude seen was 15600 ft. No pilot or ATC center radio transmission. Underscores 'automatic apathy.' I had seen an autoplt mode light and perceived VNAV to be engaged when such was not the case. Should have stayed 'heads up' and delayed radio response. Xchk of MCP saw the 'LNAV engaged' light, but did not recognize the lack of VNAV.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 CAPT, DURING CLBOUT, PURPOSELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, SELECTED CTL WHEEL STEERING, AND BEGAN TRIMMING AILERON AND RUDDER. VNAV WAS NOT ENGAGED AND THEY BLEW THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT BY 600 FT.
Narrative: ON A VERY UNEVENTFUL EVENING, WE LEFT DTW, FLYING THE PALACE 2 SID. AFTER A RWY 21C TKOF AND A SHORT VECTOR TO 235 DEGS, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO DUNKS, CLBING TO 10000 FT. AT ABOUT THAT POINT, WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT. AS WE PASSED 13000 FT, THE CAPT SWITCHED AUTOPLT MODES BY DISCONNECTING THE ENTIRE AUTOPLT WITH THE CTL YOKE PUSH BUTTON, THEN SELECTING 'CTL WHEEL STEERING' WHILE FINE TUNING THE AILERON AND RUDDER TRIM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, 'VNAV' WAS STILL DISENGAGED. VERY SHORTLY, ATC DIRECTED WE STOP OUR CLB AT 15000 FT, WHICH I SET INTO THE ALT WARNING INDICATOR WITH LESS THAN 1000 FT TO GO. AFTER RESPONDING TO A SECTOR FREQ CHANGE (HEAD DOWN), I LOOKED UP TO SEE 15400 FT ON THE ALTIMETER. THE CAPT SMOOTHLY MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO A 2000 FPM DSCNT TO 15000 FT. HIGHEST ALT SEEN WAS 15600 FT. NO PLT OR ATC CTR RADIO XMISSION. UNDERSCORES 'AUTOMATIC APATHY.' I HAD SEEN AN AUTOPLT MODE LIGHT AND PERCEIVED VNAV TO BE ENGAGED WHEN SUCH WAS NOT THE CASE. SHOULD HAVE STAYED 'HEADS UP' AND DELAYED RADIO RESPONSE. XCHK OF MCP SAW THE 'LNAV ENGAGED' LIGHT, BUT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE LACK OF VNAV.
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.