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An air carrier flight crew flying a B737-200 near pnh are unable to maintain their assigned altitude resulting in the declaration of an emergency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 478621 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200007 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 478621 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 478618 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : separated traffic flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : regained aircraft control |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While climbing to an assigned altitude of FL350 in a fully loaded B737-200 aircraft weighing 105500 pounds, we reached FL348 and were unable to maintain altitude and airspeed. We requested a lower altitude and were told by ATC that we were unable to descend because of crossing traffic. Still unable to maintain airspeed we declared an emergency and started a slow descent to maintain airspeed. ATC was required to turn and descend the crossing traffic. The onboard performance computer indicated that for the given weight and outside conditions we should have been able to fly normally at FL350. I believe that probably I allowed the airspeed to get too slow while climbing, such that when I leveled off instead of gaining airspeed it continued to slowly decrease. I will use a very cautioned eye when evaluating performance data for the older B737-200 aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING A B737-200 NEAR PNH ARE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR ASSIGNED ALT RESULTING IN THE DECLARATION OF AN EMER.
Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL350 IN A FULLY LOADED B737-200 ACFT WEIGHING 105500 LBS, WE REACHED FL348 AND WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND AIRSPD. WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND WERE TOLD BY ATC THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DSND BECAUSE OF XING TFC. STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD WE DECLARED AN EMER AND STARTED A SLOW DSCNT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD. ATC WAS REQUIRED TO TURN AND DSND THE XING TFC. THE ONBOARD PERFORMANCE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT FOR THE GIVEN WT AND OUTSIDE CONDITIONS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FLY NORMALLY AT FL350. I BELIEVE THAT PROBABLY I ALLOWED THE AIRSPD TO GET TOO SLOW WHILE CLBING, SUCH THAT WHEN I LEVELED OFF INSTEAD OF GAINING AIRSPD IT CONTINUED TO SLOWLY DECREASE. I WILL USE A VERY CAUTIONED EYE WHEN EVALUATING PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE OLDER B737-200 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.