 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An EMB120 flight crew climbs above their assigned cruise altitude when the altitude automatic capture is not engaged for leveloff 40 mi south of mry, ca.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 582746 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200305 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mry.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 582746 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
En route to lax from mry, we were cleared to FL230 (climbing). At about 23500 ft, the center controller alerted us that we were climbing through our assigned altitude. The first officer (PF) immediately disconnected the autoplt and descended to 23000 ft. All told, we had climbed 800 ft above our assigned altitude. Even though the autoplt was engaged, I noticed that the first officer had not selected the altitude capture function. I believe the reason we did not catch this error was because we were both preoccupied with other tasks. The first officer was looking out his side window and commenting on how beautiful the sunset was, and I was reading the QRH manual, preparing for an upcoming simulator check ride. In the future, I plan to do my studying on the ground, and pay more attention to my copilot's autoplt panel.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EMB120 FLT CREW CLBS ABOVE THEIR ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT WHEN THE ALT AUTO CAPTURE IS NOT ENGAGED FOR LEVELOFF 40 MI S OF MRY, CA.
Narrative: ENRTE TO LAX FROM MRY, WE WERE CLRED TO FL230 (CLBING). AT ABOUT 23500 FT, THE CTR CTLR ALERTED US THAT WE WERE CLBING THROUGH OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE FO (PF) IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND DSNDED TO 23000 FT. ALL TOLD, WE HAD CLBED 800 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT. EVEN THOUGH THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED, I NOTICED THAT THE FO HAD NOT SELECTED THE ALT CAPTURE FUNCTION. I BELIEVE THE REASON WE DID NOT CATCH THIS ERROR WAS BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER TASKS. THE FO WAS LOOKING OUT HIS SIDE WINDOW AND COMMENTING ON HOW BEAUTIFUL THE SUNSET WAS, AND I WAS READING THE QRH MANUAL, PREPARING FOR AN UPCOMING SIMULATOR CHK RIDE. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO DO MY STUDYING ON THE GND, AND PAY MORE ATTN TO MY COPLT'S AUTOPLT PANEL.
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.