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First officer of a B747-200 allowed the aircraft to descend from assigned arrival altitude due to being distraction in slowing the aircraft disconnecting the altitude hold mode on the autoplt.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 455950 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199912 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo.airport |
| State Reference | AB |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : o90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Route In Use | arrival star : goldn 4 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 455950 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We descended to 11000 ft on the golden 4 arrival. I was giving IOE to the copilot. The aircraft was on autoplt connected to the pms. I told the copilot to slow the aircraft and explained the various ways to accomplish this. He proceeded to disconnect the aircraft from the pms and engage the flaps for airspeed control, but he forgot to engage altitude hold to the autoplt. He got involved with slowing the aircraft and when I looked at the altimeter the aircraft had descended to 10500 ft, at which time bay approach called with the news we were 500 ft below our assigned altitude. I had the copilot disconnect the autoplt and return to 11000 ft. There was no traffic, but pride was hurt. I take responsibility as it was my aircraft and I should have watched the copilot closer than I did.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FO OF A B747-200 ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DSND FROM ASSIGNED ARR ALT DUE TO BEING DISTR IN SLOWING THE ACFT DISCONNECTING THE ALT HOLD MODE ON THE AUTOPLT.
Narrative: WE DSNDED TO 11000 FT ON THE GOLDEN 4 ARR. I WAS GIVING IOE TO THE COPLT. THE ACFT WAS ON AUTOPLT CONNECTED TO THE PMS. I TOLD THE COPLT TO SLOW THE ACFT AND EXPLAINED THE VARIOUS WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. HE PROCEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE ACFT FROM THE PMS AND ENGAGE THE FLAPS FOR AIRSPD CTL, BUT HE FORGOT TO ENGAGE ALT HOLD TO THE AUTOPLT. HE GOT INVOLVED WITH SLOWING THE ACFT AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER THE ACFT HAD DSNDED TO 10500 FT, AT WHICH TIME BAY APCH CALLED WITH THE NEWS WE WERE 500 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT. I HAD THE COPLT DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND RETURN TO 11000 FT. THERE WAS NO TFC, BUT PRIDE WAS HURT. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AS IT WAS MY ACFT AND I SHOULD HAVE WATCHED THE COPLT CLOSER THAN I DID.
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.