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An AT72 crew, during climb out of st thomas (tist), overshot their assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 541170 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200203 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tist.airport |
| State Reference | VI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | Other |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : ns |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 541170 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were given an initial altitude after takeoff of 3000 ft MSL. After takeoff from runway 10, the tower called traffic entering a right downwind for runway 10 which we called in sight. We were instructed to maintain visual separation and turn right 250 degrees. The captain and I decided the best method of separation was to climb as quickly as possible since the other traffic was descending into the downwind. I was hand flying the aircraft and was climbing the aircraft primarily on visual references to maintain contact with traffic. The captain was preoccupied performing the climb checklist when I realized we were at 3400 ft MSL. As I pitched over to get back down to 3000 ft MSL, we were given a climb to 6000 ft MSL. ATC made no reference to our altitude excursion. I believe my inattn to our altitude was caused primarily by my fatigue this was the third day of a 4-DAY trip and the fifth leg of 6 legs that day. The previous night I had slept just under 8 hours and the night prior to that only 6 hours due to short overnights. The day before the incident I was on duty 14 hours and the day of the incident I had already been on duty 10 hours. The FAA should rewrite the rest rules in a way that prevents fatigue from accumulating over the duration if multi-day trips.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AT72 CREW, DURING CLBOUT OF ST THOMAS (TIST), OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN AN INITIAL ALT AFTER TKOF OF 3000 FT MSL. AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 10, THE TWR CALLED TFC ENTERING A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 10 WHICH WE CALLED IN SIGHT. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND TURN R 250 DEGS. THE CAPT AND I DECIDED THE BEST METHOD OF SEPARATION WAS TO CLB AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SINCE THE OTHER TFC WAS DSNDING INTO THE DOWNWIND. I WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND WAS CLBING THE ACFT PRIMARILY ON VISUAL REFS TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH TFC. THE CAPT WAS PREOCCUPIED PERFORMING THE CLB CHKLIST WHEN I REALIZED WE WERE AT 3400 FT MSL. AS I PITCHED OVER TO GET BACK DOWN TO 3000 FT MSL, WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO 6000 FT MSL. ATC MADE NO REF TO OUR ALT EXCURSION. I BELIEVE MY INATTN TO OUR ALT WAS CAUSED PRIMARILY BY MY FATIGUE THIS WAS THE THIRD DAY OF A 4-DAY TRIP AND THE FIFTH LEG OF 6 LEGS THAT DAY. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT I HAD SLEPT JUST UNDER 8 HRS AND THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THAT ONLY 6 HRS DUE TO SHORT OVERNIGHTS. THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT I WAS ON DUTY 14 HRS AND THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT I HAD ALREADY BEEN ON DUTY 10 HRS. THE FAA SHOULD REWRITE THE REST RULES IN A WAY THAT PREVENTS FATIGUE FROM ACCUMULATING OVER THE DURATION IF MULTI-DAY TRIPS.
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.