<< >> NASA ASRS Report 499550, January 2001

B752 PIC, single pilot, overshoots ZSU assigned altitude descending to sju. Flight crew distraction caused by passenger misconduct attempted resolution by first officer.

Attributes
ACN	499550
Time
Date	200101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju.airport
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zsu.artcc tracon : sju.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	499550
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During descent into sju, my first officer was tending to belligerent passenger. I was flying and accepting clrncs single pilot. At 10700 ft, ZSU instructed me to level at 11000 ft. I complied. We were cleared to 10000 ft. Then we were instructed to sju approach. It was unclr to me whether we were cleared to 11000 ft or 10000 ft. I debriefed center and they said everything was ok. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the passenger disturbance escalated when passenger was advised that connecting flight could not be delayed to accommodate their late arrival. PIC advised they had 1 1/2 hour maintenance delay. The reporter was open for support to use some international phrase that would alert ATC to a problem, but not reaching emergency status. He thought the 'pan pan' might work, but unsure of its appropriateness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B752 PIC, SINGLE PLT, OVERSHOOTS ZSU ASSIGNED ALT DSNDING TO SJU. FLC DISTR CAUSED BY PAX MISCONDUCT ATTEMPTED RESOLUTION BY FO.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO SJU, MY FO WAS TENDING TO BELLIGERENT PAX. I WAS FLYING AND ACCEPTING CLRNCS SINGLE PLT. AT 10700 FT, ZSU INSTRUCTED ME TO LEVEL AT 11000 FT. I COMPLIED. WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT. THEN WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SJU APCH. IT WAS UNCLR TO ME WHETHER WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT OR 10000 FT. I DEBRIEFED CTR AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS OK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE PAX DISTURBANCE ESCALATED WHEN PAX WAS ADVISED THAT CONNECTING FLT COULD NOT BE DELAYED TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR LATE ARR. PIC ADVISED THEY HAD 1 1/2 HR MAINT DELAY. THE RPTR WAS OPEN FOR SUPPORT TO USE SOME INTL PHRASE THAT WOULD ALERT ATC TO A PROB, BUT NOT REACHING EMER STATUS. HE THOUGHT THE 'PAN PAN' MIGHT WORK, BUT UNSURE OF ITS APPROPRIATENESS.

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.