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Captain of an MD80 inadvertently reported at assigned altitude when the aircraft was still climbing to it by autoplt.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 459250 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200001 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : flg.vortac |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 32600 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| 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 vortac |
| Flight Phase | climbout other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14600 flight time type : 12000 |
| ASRS Report | 459250 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 459630 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were operating flight las-iah. While climbing up to our final cruising altitude of FL330, we had engaged the autoplt and pms. The pms commands the autoplt to maintain an optimum speed when in a climb, cruise or descent. When we checked in with ZAB, the airplane was still climbing to FL330. At some point into the flight, ZAB asked us to confirm our altitude. We replied '330.' ZAB stated that he was showing us 400 ft lower. We then realized that the pms had temporarily leveled off at 250 ft lower to obtain the selected climb airspeed and we replied 'we are correcting the problem.' we manually increased the vertical speed to expedite the climb to FL330.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MD80 INADVERTENTLY RPTED AT ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE ACFT WAS STILL CLBING TO IT BY AUTOPLT.
Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING FLT LAS-IAH. WHILE CLBING UP TO OUR FINAL CRUISING ALT OF FL330, WE HAD ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND PMS. THE PMS COMMANDS THE AUTOPLT TO MAINTAIN AN OPTIMUM SPD WHEN IN A CLB, CRUISE OR DSCNT. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH ZAB, THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL CLBING TO FL330. AT SOME POINT INTO THE FLT, ZAB ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT. WE REPLIED '330.' ZAB STATED THAT HE WAS SHOWING US 400 FT LOWER. WE THEN REALIZED THAT THE PMS HAD TEMPORARILY LEVELED OFF AT 250 FT LOWER TO OBTAIN THE SELECTED CLB AIRSPD AND WE REPLIED 'WE ARE CORRECTING THE PROB.' WE MANUALLY INCREASED THE VERT SPD TO EXPEDITE THE CLB TO FL330.
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.