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A B777-200 flight crew on a transpacific flight was cleared to climb but initiated a descent instead. The PNF caught the mistake and they climbed to their assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 701851 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : zzzz |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 33800 msl bound upper : 34000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 701851 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 701854 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
4 hours into 7 hours flight received ATC clearance to climb from FL340 to FL350 via ads. Vertical speed selected for smooth transition; however; copilot (PF); inadvertently rolled in -400 FPM rate of descent. The PNF (captain) noticed error and quickly made necessary climb correction using vertical speed +800 FPM. TCAS operating normally with no targets in area. Contributing factors include pilot fatigue; early morning body time on international all-nighter with no relief pilot; scheduled 7 hour 17 min block flight time. VNAV would be better choice to start climb with vertical speed used to level off.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B777-200 FLT CREW ON A TRANSPACIFIC FLT WAS CLRED TO CLB BUT INITIATED A DSCNT INSTEAD. THE PNF CAUGHT THE MISTAKE AND THEY CLBED TO THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: 4 HRS INTO 7 HRS FLT RECEIVED ATC CLRNC TO CLB FROM FL340 TO FL350 VIA ADS. VERT SPD SELECTED FOR SMOOTH TRANSITION; HOWEVER; COPLT (PF); INADVERTENTLY ROLLED IN -400 FPM RATE OF DSCNT. THE PNF (CAPT) NOTICED ERROR AND QUICKLY MADE NECESSARY CLB CORRECTION USING VERT SPD +800 FPM. TCAS OPERATING NORMALLY WITH NO TARGETS IN AREA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE PLT FATIGUE; EARLY MORNING BODY TIME ON INTL ALL-NIGHTER WITH NO RELIEF PLT; SCHEDULED 7 HR 17 MIN BLOCK FLT TIME. VNAV WOULD BE BETTER CHOICE TO START CLB WITH VERT SPD USED TO LEVEL OFF.
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.