Flight crew had altitude excursion in a lr-60 when encountering mountain wave activity and turbulenc...

Attributes
ACN	544444
Time
Date	200204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : quail
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL600
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	544444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were inbound on the quail 3 arrival to apa. We had been cleared to cross quail at 16000 ft MSL and 250 KTS. After leveling at 16000 ft MSL, crew experienced moderate to severe chop and mountain wave activity. The autoplt was on turbulence mode to dampen the correction for comfort. While climbing through 16200 ft MSL, crew realized that the WX conditions exceeded the autoplt limitations and began correction inputs. Climbing through 16500 ft MSL, I realized that my senior co-captain's inputs would not resolve the problem and selected 'off' of the autoplt. I then ordered he gain control of the aircraft at 16700 ft MSL. (I would have taken control at this point.) he obtained control and immediately started a descent to 16000 ft MSL. I then explained to denver our situation. Stratus and tiny cumulus clouds were en route. No signs of ventricular clouds. SIGMET 'V2' for occasional severe turbulence below FL220, standing up- and downdrafts vicinity mountains was issued, so we were prewarned. We were flying co-capts on our first trip together. Not knowing each other's experience and I being the junior captain, made this a touchy issue. I would have taken control at 16300 ft ms. With any of my first officer's. I assume this captain's experience was low. CRM issues exist with 2 capts, as you can clearly see. The only way to correct this problem would have been: immediate disengagement of autoplt and power levers to idle. Fortunately no other planes were affected by our WX induced altitude error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HAD ALT EXCURSION IN A LR-60 WHEN ENCOUNTERING MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY AND TURB NEAR DEN, CO.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND ON THE QUAIL 3 ARR TO APA. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS QUAIL AT 16000 FT MSL AND 250 KTS. AFTER LEVELING AT 16000 FT MSL, CREW EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE CHOP AND MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. THE AUTOPLT WAS ON TURB MODE TO DAMPEN THE CORRECTION FOR COMFORT. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 16200 FT MSL, CREW REALIZED THAT THE WX CONDITIONS EXCEEDED THE AUTOPLT LIMITATIONS AND BEGAN CORRECTION INPUTS. CLBING THROUGH 16500 FT MSL, I REALIZED THAT MY SENIOR CO-CAPT'S INPUTS WOULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROB AND SELECTED 'OFF' OF THE AUTOPLT. I THEN ORDERED HE GAIN CTL OF THE ACFT AT 16700 FT MSL. (I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL AT THIS POINT.) HE OBTAINED CTL AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSCNT TO 16000 FT MSL. I THEN EXPLAINED TO DENVER OUR SIT. STRATUS AND TINY CUMULUS CLOUDS WERE ENRTE. NO SIGNS OF VENTRICULAR CLOUDS. SIGMET 'V2' FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURB BELOW FL220, STANDING UP- AND DOWNDRAFTS VICINITY MOUNTAINS WAS ISSUED, SO WE WERE PREWARNED. WE WERE FLYING CO-CAPTS ON OUR FIRST TRIP TOGETHER. NOT KNOWING EACH OTHER'S EXPERIENCE AND I BEING THE JUNIOR CAPT, MADE THIS A TOUCHY ISSUE. I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL AT 16300 FT MS. WITH ANY OF MY FO'S. I ASSUME THIS CAPT'S EXPERIENCE WAS LOW. CRM ISSUES EXIST WITH 2 CAPTS, AS YOU CAN CLRLY SEE. THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THIS PROB WOULD HAVE BEEN: IMMEDIATE DISENGAGEMENT OF AUTOPLT AND PWR LEVERS TO IDLE. FORTUNATELY NO OTHER PLANES WERE AFFECTED BY OUR WX INDUCED ALT ERROR.

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.

Flight crew had altitude excursion in a lr-60 when encountering mountain wave activity and turbulence near den, co.