Narrative:

Nearly 5 hours into our flight; I was requested (by hand signal) to come to the flight deck. The pilot was getting up out of the left seat; and in the right seat was a mechanic. I stepped to the left; to allow the pilot to pass rearward. As he passed me; he said 'we're somewhere in florida on a vector.' I then sat in the left seat; turned the airplane to the heading bugged. I asked the mechanic (whose hands were still on the wheel) 'do we go to 11000 ft or 10000 ft?' we were at 10600 ft. I flew toward 11000 ft when he replied 'no problem.' I fastened my seatbelt. I then called 'center; confirm altitude and heading.' there was a long pause; and a voice replied 'who was that?' replied 'aircraft X; please confirm heading and altitude assigned.' a short pause; then 'aircraft X; your last assigned altitude was 10000 ft.' as I recall; within several seconds; controller informed us we should be at 11000 ft or 9000 ft for direction-of-flight. I asked for and got 9000 ft. I had the mechanic leave the flight deck; and got the relief pilot in the front. He flew while I determined our position using GPS; VOR and DME with a paper chart. I estimate we were off altitude less than 3 mins. Human performance considerations. I; as PIC; should have set a rotation schedule for the 3 pilots. I; as PIC; should have set a policy of 'only pilots' in the front seats. I should have insisted; at the time I was called forward; that the pilot situation back down and fly; while I replaced the mechanic in the right seat. Then the pilot could have gotten up to be replaced by the relief pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC3 FLT CREW HAS ALT HDG DEV WHILE ENRTE.

Narrative: NEARLY 5 HRS INTO OUR FLT; I WAS REQUESTED (BY HAND SIGNAL) TO COME TO THE FLT DECK. THE PLT WAS GETTING UP OUT OF THE L SEAT; AND IN THE R SEAT WAS A MECH. I STEPPED TO THE L; TO ALLOW THE PLT TO PASS REARWARD. AS HE PASSED ME; HE SAID 'WE'RE SOMEWHERE IN FLORIDA ON A VECTOR.' I THEN SAT IN THE L SEAT; TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE HDG BUGGED. I ASKED THE MECH (WHOSE HANDS WERE STILL ON THE WHEEL) 'DO WE GO TO 11000 FT OR 10000 FT?' WE WERE AT 10600 FT. I FLEW TOWARD 11000 FT WHEN HE REPLIED 'NO PROB.' I FASTENED MY SEATBELT. I THEN CALLED 'CTR; CONFIRM ALT AND HDG.' THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE; AND A VOICE REPLIED 'WHO WAS THAT?' REPLIED 'ACFT X; PLEASE CONFIRM HDG AND ALT ASSIGNED.' A SHORT PAUSE; THEN 'ACFT X; YOUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 10000 FT.' AS I RECALL; WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS; CTLR INFORMED US WE SHOULD BE AT 11000 FT OR 9000 FT FOR DIRECTION-OF-FLT. I ASKED FOR AND GOT 9000 FT. I HAD THE MECH LEAVE THE FLT DECK; AND GOT THE RELIEF PLT IN THE FRONT. HE FLEW WHILE I DETERMINED OUR POS USING GPS; VOR AND DME WITH A PAPER CHART. I ESTIMATE WE WERE OFF ALT LESS THAN 3 MINS. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS. I; AS PIC; SHOULD HAVE SET A ROTATION SCHEDULE FOR THE 3 PLTS. I; AS PIC; SHOULD HAVE SET A POLICY OF 'ONLY PLTS' IN THE FRONT SEATS. I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED; AT THE TIME I WAS CALLED FORWARD; THAT THE PLT SIT BACK DOWN AND FLY; WHILE I REPLACED THE MECH IN THE R SEAT. THEN THE PLT COULD HAVE GOTTEN UP TO BE REPLACED BY THE RELIEF PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.