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Captain of a B727 overshot assigned altitude after correcting back from following a TCASII directed descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 454099 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199911 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | KS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 19700 msl bound upper : 20300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j28.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 454099 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Flight from cos to mem, given clearance direct gck with climb to FL230 from ZDV. It was the captain's leg as he was still on high minimums. ZDV amended our climb to FL200 for traffic. The captain had the autoplt engaged and as we approached FL200 I could see the conflicting traffic, opposite direction at about 11 O'clock position with its landing light on. ATC pointed out the traffic and I responded we had the traffic in sight. At this time the TCASII issued a TA, and seconds later the TCASII issued commands to 'descend, descend' at which time the captain disengaged the autoplt and initiated a descent. I advised ATC of the RA and told him we were descending. At this time the TCASII issued 'monitor descent' command. We had descended approximately 300 ft. I had been watching the traffic in the window and just after the 'monitor descent' command, I noticed the captain had begun a climb and we were about to climb through FL200. I placed a small amount of forward pressure on the control column and responded 'don't climb, don't climb.' the captain re-engaged the autoplt and brought the aircraft back to FL200 after ballooning approximately 200-300 ft above FL200 and at about the time the TCASII issued 'clear of conflict.' shortly thereafter, center asked for our account of the event. I responded that we had the RA and descended. The controller asked us to verify the altitude we were cleared to and I responded FL200, and then after a few moments asked why, if we had a descent RA, had we climbed 300 ft above FL200, for that was what their equipment had shown. The captain and so told me that they had heard the TCASII issue climb instructions. I, however, don't recall that and told ATC the same. I feel many factors contributed to this event: 1) high minimums captain. 2) inadequate training on new TCASII equipment. 3) back side of the clock flying. 4) captain attempting to divide his attention between watching the traffic and flying the aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A B727 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT AFTER CORRECTING BACK FROM FOLLOWING A TCASII DIRECTED DSCNT.
Narrative: FLT FROM COS TO MEM, GIVEN CLRNC DIRECT GCK WITH CLB TO FL230 FROM ZDV. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG AS HE WAS STILL ON HIGH MINIMUMS. ZDV AMENDED OUR CLB TO FL200 FOR TFC. THE CAPT HAD THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED AND AS WE APCHED FL200 I COULD SEE THE CONFLICTING TFC, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK POS WITH ITS LNDG LIGHT ON. ATC POINTED OUT THE TFC AND I RESPONDED WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE TCASII ISSUED A TA, AND SECONDS LATER THE TCASII ISSUED COMMANDS TO 'DSND, DSND' AT WHICH TIME THE CAPT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A DSCNT. I ADVISED ATC OF THE RA AND TOLD HIM WE WERE DSNDING. AT THIS TIME THE TCASII ISSUED 'MONITOR DSCNT' COMMAND. WE HAD DSNDED APPROX 300 FT. I HAD BEEN WATCHING THE TFC IN THE WINDOW AND JUST AFTER THE 'MONITOR DSCNT' COMMAND, I NOTICED THE CAPT HAD BEGUN A CLB AND WE WERE ABOUT TO CLB THROUGH FL200. I PLACED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CTL COLUMN AND RESPONDED 'DON'T CLB, DON'T CLB.' THE CAPT RE-ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK TO FL200 AFTER BALLOONING APPROX 200-300 FT ABOVE FL200 AND AT ABOUT THE TIME THE TCASII ISSUED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR ASKED FOR OUR ACCOUNT OF THE EVENT. I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD THE RA AND DSNDED. THE CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY THE ALT WE WERE CLRED TO AND I RESPONDED FL200, AND THEN AFTER A FEW MOMENTS ASKED WHY, IF WE HAD A DSCNT RA, HAD WE CLBED 300 FT ABOVE FL200, FOR THAT WAS WHAT THEIR EQUIP HAD SHOWN. THE CAPT AND SO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD HEARD THE TCASII ISSUE CLB INSTRUCTIONS. I, HOWEVER, DON'T RECALL THAT AND TOLD ATC THE SAME. I FEEL MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: 1) HIGH MINIMUMS CAPT. 2) INADEQUATE TRAINING ON NEW TCASII EQUIP. 3) BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK FLYING. 4) CAPT ATTEMPTING TO DIVIDE HIS ATTN BTWN WATCHING THE TFC AND FLYING THE ACFT.
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.