<< >> NASA ASRS Report 509670, April 2001

Altitude overshot by first officer, PF, when distraction with news of a death in the family the night before near gep VOR, mn.

Attributes
ACN	509670
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gep.vortac
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10400 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : gopher
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8300 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	509670
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to cross the gep VOR to maintain 11000 ft. I mistakenly descended through 11000 ft to approximately 10500-10400 ft, I then immediately disconnected the autoplt and quickly returned to 11000 ft. The msp approach controller then cleared us to maintain 8000 ft. The controller did not question our altitude deviation. Contributing factors: 1) I'm sure that the captain (PNF) did not make the standard 2000 ft and 1000 ft altitude calls prior to 11000 ft. 2) the night before this, our first leg at approximately XA30 local time, I received a phone call from my wife informing me that my grandma was found dead in her apartment that evening near her birthday. That evening I was unable to sleep at all. Her husband (my grandpa) passed away 4 months earlier. I thought that I could put this event aside, but perhaps I was wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT BY FO, PF, WHEN DISTR WITH NEWS OF A DEATH IN THE FAMILY THE NIGHT BEFORE NEAR GEP VOR, MN.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS THE GEP VOR TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT. I MISTAKENLY DSNDED THROUGH 11000 FT TO APPROX 10500-10400 FT, I THEN IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND QUICKLY RETURNED TO 11000 FT. THE MSP APCH CTLR THEN CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT. THE CTLR DID NOT QUESTION OUR ALTDEV. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) I'M SURE THAT THE CAPT (PNF) DID NOT MAKE THE STANDARD 2000 FT AND 1000 FT ALT CALLS PRIOR TO 11000 FT. 2) THE NIGHT BEFORE THIS, OUR FIRST LEG AT APPROX XA30 LCL TIME, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MY WIFE INFORMING ME THAT MY GRANDMA WAS FOUND DEAD IN HER APARTMENT THAT EVENING NEAR HER BIRTHDAY. THAT EVENING I WAS UNABLE TO SLEEP AT ALL. HER HUSBAND (MY GRANDPA) PASSED AWAY 4 MONTHS EARLIER. I THOUGHT THAT I COULD PUT THIS EVENT ASIDE, BUT PERHAPS I WAS WRONG.

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.