 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A C335 pilot inadvertently disconnected his altitude hold, causing him to deviate from his altitude in azo airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 518320 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ekm.airport |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : charter |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 335 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : charter |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 12.1 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 8.7 |
| ASRS Report | 518320 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Cruising at 6000 ft en route arb to ekm, autoplt engaged. IFR flight plan, but VMC conditions. Altitude hold disengaged. Aircraft climbed 500 ft before I realized the problem. I was correcting my altitude when ATC mentioned it and they issued the altimeter setting. Classic example of pilot becoming too 'kick back' with autoplt use. Lesson learned is the autoplt is a wonderful thing but it bears watching at all times!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C335 PLT INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTED HIS ALT HOLD, CAUSING HIM TO DEVIATE FROM HIS ALT IN AZO AIRSPACE.
Narrative: CRUISING AT 6000 FT ENRTE ARB TO EKM, AUTOPLT ENGAGED. IFR FLT PLAN, BUT VMC CONDITIONS. ALT HOLD DISENGAGED. ACFT CLBED 500 FT BEFORE I REALIZED THE PROB. I WAS CORRECTING MY ALT WHEN ATC MENTIONED IT AND THEY ISSUED THE ALTIMETER SETTING. CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF PLT BECOMING TOO 'KICK BACK' WITH AUTOPLT USE. LESSON LEARNED IS THE AUTOPLT IS A WONDERFUL THING BUT IT BEARS WATCHING AT ALL TIMES!
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.