 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Due to a flight crew overload, altitude overshot when a B737 first officer, PF, fails to reset the altimeter on descent into den, co.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 577254 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200303 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zdv.artcc |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15500 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Ice Turbulence |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc tracon : mco.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival star : sayge |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 577254 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Approaching denver, thunderstorms in area. Cleared for sayge arrival, then landr, then back to sayge arrival. Descending into denver on the sayge arrival, cleared to cross sayge at 250 KTS and 16000 ft. ACARS stuck in loop repeatedly receiving message confirming our release, (unable to get current ATIS via ACARS). Passing 190, PNF sets 29.38 per approach. PNF goes off frequency to listen to ATIS to confirm low altimeter setting. PF answers confusing ATC radio call about a possible bird strike on runway 26, (we were told to expect runway 35R). Passing 170, PNF calls 1000 ft -- acknowledged by PF. After copying ATIS, PNF notices aircraft level at 15500. PF immediately resets his altimeter to 29.38 from 29.92, and corrects to 16000 ft. No traffic noted in area, and no mention by ATC of deviation. Total deviation lasted less than 20 seconds. Numerous factors contributed to the distraction of both pilots. PF had less than 100 hours in aircraft, and is about to be furloughed. Also, ATC call about bird strike was confusing. PF was called at XA00 for identify assignment. He mentioned several times how tired he was because of this. PNF distraction by inability to verify altimeter setting via ACARS and ATC, moderate airframe icing, turbulence, close proximity to storms, and continually changing clrncs. Approach descent checklist was completed up to the altimeter setting verification.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DUE TO A FLC OVERLOAD, ALT OVERSHOT WHEN A B737 FO, PF, FAILS TO RESET THE ALTIMETER ON DSCNT INTO DEN, CO.
Narrative: APCHING DENVER, TSTMS IN AREA. CLRED FOR SAYGE ARR, THEN LANDR, THEN BACK TO SAYGE ARR. DSNDING INTO DENVER ON THE SAYGE ARR, CLRED TO CROSS SAYGE AT 250 KTS AND 16000 FT. ACARS STUCK IN LOOP REPEATEDLY RECEIVING MESSAGE CONFIRMING OUR RELEASE, (UNABLE TO GET CURRENT ATIS VIA ACARS). PASSING 190, PNF SETS 29.38 PER APCH. PNF GOES OFF FREQ TO LISTEN TO ATIS TO CONFIRM LOW ALTIMETER SETTING. PF ANSWERS CONFUSING ATC RADIO CALL ABOUT A POSSIBLE BIRD STRIKE ON RWY 26, (WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 35R). PASSING 170, PNF CALLS 1000 FT -- ACKNOWLEDGED BY PF. AFTER COPYING ATIS, PNF NOTICES ACFT LEVEL AT 15500. PF IMMEDIATELY RESETS HIS ALTIMETER TO 29.38 FROM 29.92, AND CORRECTS TO 16000 FT. NO TFC NOTED IN AREA, AND NO MENTION BY ATC OF DEV. TOTAL DEV LASTED LESS THAN 20 SECONDS. NUMEROUS FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DISTR OF BOTH PLTS. PF HAD LESS THAN 100 HRS IN ACFT, AND IS ABOUT TO BE FURLOUGHED. ALSO, ATC CALL ABOUT BIRD STRIKE WAS CONFUSING. PF WAS CALLED AT XA00 FOR IDENT ASSIGNMENT. HE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES HOW TIRED HE WAS BECAUSE OF THIS. PNF DISTR BY INABILITY TO VERIFY ALTIMETER SETTING VIA ACARS AND ATC, MODERATE AIRFRAME ICING, TURB, CLOSE PROX TO STORMS, AND CONTINUALLY CHANGING CLRNCS. APCH DSCNT CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED UP TO THE ALTIMETER SETTING VERIFICATION.
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.