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A B737-700 flight crew overshoots their assigned altitude when the first officer sets the wrong altitude in the altitude alerter 10 mi west of gpt, ms.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 489120 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200010 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : gpt.vortac |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | arrival star : ns enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 489120 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 489379 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Perfect WX, brand new airplane, extremely sharp first officer. Descending into msy (direct to gpt), I was off to get ATIS. First officer (PF) spoke to ATC and put FL230 in MCP. When I came back from getting part of the ATIS, ATC frequency was extremely congested, including a stuck microphone. I said 'FL230?' pointing to MCP, first officer nodded, flight attendant entered the cockpit, engaged us in conversation. I left the frequency briefly to get the rest of the ATIS and when I returned, as we leveled at FL230, ATC queried us on our altitude, said we were cleared only FL240, and then cleared us down to lower altitude. I feel the extreme congestion and stuck microphone on the frequency contributed significantly to cause the confusion which resulted in this event. Supplemental information from acn 489379: the captain was off getting the ATIS. ZHU gave me a descent clearance to FL240. I thought I read back FL240 and put FL240 in the window. I'm not sure how, but FL230 got put into the window. 1 of 2 things happened. I put FL230 in the window but read back FL240, or my captain answered FL230 for another aircraft and put FL230 into the window.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FO SETS THE WRONG ALT IN THE ALT ALERTER 10 MI W OF GPT, MS.
Narrative: PERFECT WX, BRAND NEW AIRPLANE, EXTREMELY SHARP FO. DSNDING INTO MSY (DIRECT TO GPT), I WAS OFF TO GET ATIS. FO (PF) SPOKE TO ATC AND PUT FL230 IN MCP. WHEN I CAME BACK FROM GETTING PART OF THE ATIS, ATC FREQ WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED, INCLUDING A STUCK MIKE. I SAID 'FL230?' POINTING TO MCP, FO NODDED, FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT, ENGAGED US IN CONVERSATION. I LEFT THE FREQ BRIEFLY TO GET THE REST OF THE ATIS AND WHEN I RETURNED, AS WE LEVELED AT FL230, ATC QUERIED US ON OUR ALT, SAID WE WERE CLRED ONLY FL240, AND THEN CLRED US DOWN TO LOWER ALT. I FEEL THE EXTREME CONGESTION AND STUCK MIKE ON THE FREQ CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO CAUSE THE CONFUSION WHICH RESULTED IN THIS EVENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 489379: THE CAPT WAS OFF GETTING THE ATIS. ZHU GAVE ME A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL240. I THOUGHT I READ BACK FL240 AND PUT FL240 IN THE WINDOW. I'M NOT SURE HOW, BUT FL230 GOT PUT INTO THE WINDOW. 1 OF 2 THINGS HAPPENED. I PUT FL230 IN THE WINDOW BUT READ BACK FL240, OR MY CAPT ANSWERED FL230 FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND PUT FL230 INTO THE WINDOW.
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.