2 events on a B747-200 cargo flight, smoke in the cockpit and an altitude deviation excursion of 400...

Attributes
ACN	556967
Time
Date	200208
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon tower : eham.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18300 flight time type : 9250
ASRS Report	556967
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 132 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	556791
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : smoke detector other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after descending through 10000 ft MSL, the flight engineer reported smoke in the cabin. Bluish-colored smoke was indeed evident and we could smell an oily-smoke scent. The flight engineer went briefly downstairs to make certain that there was not a fire in the main cargo area. When the flight engineer returned, the first officer and I were already using oxygen masks. I told the approach controller that we had evidence of smoke in the cockpit/cabin and that I wanted the emergency equipment standing by. We received some delaying vectors as we were descending to the assigned 4000 ft MSL, and there was considerable amounts of conversation, both on the interphone within the cockpit, as well as with ATC. Jumping from one audio source to another (interphone button on the audio selector panel, then pushing the communication #1 button for ATC) was a significant factor, due to running emergency, approach and landing checklists, as well as normal commands and responses (flap selections, landing gear, etc). We leveled off at 4000 ft briefly, but the PF was hand-flying and inadvertently descended to 3600 ft MSL during a high workload time. On several occasions, I communicated on the 'wrong audio button,' and may have used language on one occasion that was inappropriate for standard ATC communications. The altitude discrepancy was quickly corrected. I believe we also missed a heading assignment sometime during this high workload time-frame. The difficulty of communicating with oxygen masks on, using at least 2 sources of audio, while performing normal, abnormal and emergency checklists and under a highly stressful scenario of smoke and possibility of fire while airborne cannot be overemphasized. Supplemental information from acn 556791: oxygen masks were used and communication between crew members became more difficult. First officer descended 400 ft below the cleared altitude of 4000 ft. She made an immediate correction back to 4000 ft. Crew cord suffered due to more difficult communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 EVENTS ON A B747-200 CARGO FLT, SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND AN ALTDEV EXCURSION OF 400 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING APCH INTO ANC, AK.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER DSNDING THROUGH 10000 FT MSL, THE FE RPTED SMOKE IN THE CABIN. BLUISH-COLORED SMOKE WAS INDEED EVIDENT AND WE COULD SMELL AN OILY-SMOKE SCENT. THE FE WENT BRIEFLY DOWNSTAIRS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE WAS NOT A FIRE IN THE MAIN CARGO AREA. WHEN THE FE RETURNED, THE FO AND I WERE ALREADY USING OXYGEN MASKS. I TOLD THE APCH CTLR THAT WE HAD EVIDENCE OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT/CABIN AND THAT I WANTED THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY. WE RECEIVED SOME DELAYING VECTORS AS WE WERE DSNDING TO THE ASSIGNED 4000 FT MSL, AND THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF CONVERSATION, BOTH ON THE INTERPHONE WITHIN THE COCKPIT, AS WELL AS WITH ATC. JUMPING FROM ONE AUDIO SOURCE TO ANOTHER (INTERPHONE BUTTON ON THE AUDIO SELECTOR PANEL, THEN PUSHING THE COM #1 BUTTON FOR ATC) WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR, DUE TO RUNNING EMER, APCH AND LNDG CHKLISTS, AS WELL AS NORMAL COMMANDS AND RESPONSES (FLAP SELECTIONS, LNDG GEAR, ETC). WE LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT BRIEFLY, BUT THE PF WAS HAND-FLYING AND INADVERTENTLY DSNDED TO 3600 FT MSL DURING A HIGH WORKLOAD TIME. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I COMMUNICATED ON THE 'WRONG AUDIO BUTTON,' AND MAY HAVE USED LANGUAGE ON ONE OCCASION THAT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR STANDARD ATC COMS. THE ALT DISCREPANCY WAS QUICKLY CORRECTED. I BELIEVE WE ALSO MISSED A HEADING ASSIGNMENT SOMETIME DURING THIS HIGH WORKLOAD TIME-FRAME. THE DIFFICULTY OF COMMUNICATING WITH OXYGEN MASKS ON, USING AT LEAST 2 SOURCES OF AUDIO, WHILE PERFORMING NORMAL, ABNORMAL AND EMER CHKLISTS AND UNDER A HIGHLY STRESSFUL SCENARIO OF SMOKE AND POSSIBILITY OF FIRE WHILE AIRBORNE CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 556791: OXYGEN MASKS WERE USED AND COM BTWN CREW MEMBERS BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. FO DSNDED 400 FT BELOW THE CLRED ALT OF 4000 FT. SHE MADE AN IMMEDIATE CORRECTION BACK TO 4000 FT. CREW CORD SUFFERED DUE TO MORE DIFFICULT COMS.

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.

2 events on a B747-200 cargo flight, smoke in the cockpit and an altitude deviation excursion of 400 ft below assigned altitude during approach into anc, ak.