A DC9 PIC starts his leveloff too late and overshoots his assigned altitude of FL280 when 70 mi east...

Attributes
ACN	478820
Time
Date	200007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.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
Flight Phase	cruise : level
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 : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	478820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 750
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight rdu to atl. Leveling off from a climb to FL280 at approximately 1000 FPM, autoplt overshot leveloff by 250 ft. TCASII TA then RA came on as aircraft leveled at FL280. Aircraft RA should not have sounded as aircraft had returned to FL280. System seemed to work fine after that. TA had come on as aircraft was approaching FL280. Distraction caused leveloff command to occur 50 ft prior to altitude versus normal procedure to cut rate of climb at less than 500 FPM prior to leveloff. DC9 autoplt does not always react quickly, hence the overshoot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 PIC STARTS HIS LEVELOFF TOO LATE AND OVERSHOOTS HIS ASSIGNED ALT OF FL280 WHEN 70 MI E OF SPA, SC.

Narrative: FLT RDU TO ATL. LEVELING OFF FROM A CLB TO FL280 AT APPROX 1000 FPM, AUTOPLT OVERSHOT LEVELOFF BY 250 FT. TCASII TA THEN RA CAME ON AS ACFT LEVELED AT FL280. ACFT RA SHOULD NOT HAVE SOUNDED AS ACFT HAD RETURNED TO FL280. SYS SEEMED TO WORK FINE AFTER THAT. TA HAD COME ON AS ACFT WAS APCHING FL280. DISTR CAUSED LEVELOFF COMMAND TO OCCUR 50 FT PRIOR TO ALT VERSUS NORMAL PROC TO CUT RATE OF CLB AT LESS THAN 500 FPM PRIOR TO LEVELOFF. DC9 AUTOPLT DOES NOT ALWAYS REACT QUICKLY, HENCE THE OVERSHOOT.

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.

A DC9 PIC starts his leveloff too late and overshoots his assigned altitude of FL280 when 70 mi east of spa, sc.