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B737-200 captain overshot intermediate descent altitude due to using the wrong knob during setting the autoplt altitude selector prior to descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 514980 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200106 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : cqy.vortac |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8550 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : dumpy dumpy 2 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 17000 |
| ASRS Report | 514980 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On descent into dallas, after passing over cedar creek VOR on the dumpy arrival, I was descending from 10000 ft to 9000 ft. As I was approaching leveloff, I was also turning onto the outbound radial from cqy. I reached up and engaged what I thought was the altitude hold at 9000 ft. However, I engaged VOR localizer instead. As I was focusing on intercepting the radial, the aircraft continued to descend. The altitude alert went off as we passed 8700 ft. I applied power and arrested the rate of descent (we went down to about 8550 ft) and began an immediate climb back to 9000 ft. Simultaneously, ATC queried us as to our altitude and I replied that we overshot our altitude and were in the process of correcting. I inquired as to whether we had caused a problem (there was no other traffic in the area) and the controller said no, that he was just checking on us. The remainder of the flight was normal. Contributing factors: 1) I'm normally an evening flyer and was flying a morning trip. 2) the aircraft was a nonstandard -200. 3) the layout of the MCP position the VOR localizer approximately where the -200 altitude hold is. 4) the differences in the MCP were breaking my normal flows and habit patterns. 5) I've been lucky enough to fly mostly -300's and -700's lately and was not used to leveling off myself.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-200 CAPT OVERSHOT INTERMEDIATE DSCNT ALT DUE TO USING THE WRONG KNOB DURING SETTING THE AUTOPLT ALT SELECTOR PRIOR TO DSCNT.
Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO DALLAS, AFTER PASSING OVER CEDAR CREEK VOR ON THE DUMPY ARR, I WAS DSNDING FROM 10000 FT TO 9000 FT. AS I WAS APCHING LEVELOFF, I WAS ALSO TURNING ONTO THE OUTBOUND RADIAL FROM CQY. I REACHED UP AND ENGAGED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ALT HOLD AT 9000 FT. HOWEVER, I ENGAGED VOR LOC INSTEAD. AS I WAS FOCUSING ON INTERCEPTING THE RADIAL, THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DSND. THE ALT ALERT WENT OFF AS WE PASSED 8700 FT. I APPLIED PWR AND ARRESTED THE RATE OF DSCNT (WE WENT DOWN TO ABOUT 8550 FT) AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO 9000 FT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, ATC QUERIED US AS TO OUR ALT AND I REPLIED THAT WE OVERSHOT OUR ALT AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CORRECTING. I INQUIRED AS TO WHETHER WE HAD CAUSED A PROB (THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA) AND THE CTLR SAID NO, THAT HE WAS JUST CHKING ON US. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) I'M NORMALLY AN EVENING FLYER AND WAS FLYING A MORNING TRIP. 2) THE ACFT WAS A NONSTANDARD -200. 3) THE LAYOUT OF THE MCP POS THE VOR LOC APPROX WHERE THE -200 ALT HOLD IS. 4) THE DIFFERENCES IN THE MCP WERE BREAKING MY NORMAL FLOWS AND HABIT PATTERNS. 5) I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO FLY MOSTLY -300'S AND -700'S LATELY AND WAS NOT USED TO LEVELING OFF MYSELF.
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.