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A falcon 50 flight crew deviated from assigned altitude when the autoplt disconnected and the aircraft began to climb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 719225 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200612 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 252 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 719255 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were in normal cruise at FL370 on a northeast course operating in the aml VOR area on our way to syr. The afternoon winter sun was shinning through the captain's left side window on the annunciator panel. I noticed we had started climbing and pointed it out to the captain. By the time he recovered we had gained approximately 400 ft and received a TA advising there was traffic 1200 ft above us. We descended back down to FL370 with no comment from ZDC. The autoplt disconnecting caused the altitude deviation. This falcon 50 has an old style autoplt that does not have an audible warning. In addition; the autoplt off light on the annunciator panel illuminates for about 1 second when the autoplt disconnects. Also; the sun was shining directly on the annunciator panel so we could not see the autoplt annunciator light illuminate. If this aircraft had an audible warning for autoplt disconnect this deviation would not have happened. Also it is the crew's job to always know the status of the aircraft system. If I was focusing on basic flight information corrective action could have been taken quicker. The captain could have used a more aggressive correction action as well.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A FALCON 50 FLT CREW DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO CLB.
Narrative: WE WERE IN NORMAL CRUISE AT FL370 ON A NE COURSE OPERATING IN THE AML VOR AREA ON OUR WAY TO SYR. THE AFTERNOON WINTER SUN WAS SHINNING THROUGH THE CAPT'S L SIDE WINDOW ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. I NOTICED WE HAD STARTED CLBING AND POINTED IT OUT TO THE CAPT. BY THE TIME HE RECOVERED WE HAD GAINED APPROX 400 FT AND RECEIVED A TA ADVISING THERE WAS TFC 1200 FT ABOVE US. WE DSNDED BACK DOWN TO FL370 WITH NO COMMENT FROM ZDC. THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTING CAUSED THE ALTDEV. THIS FALCON 50 HAS AN OLD STYLE AUTOPLT THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN AUDIBLE WARNING. IN ADDITION; THE AUTOPLT OFF LIGHT ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL ILLUMINATES FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTS. ALSO; THE SUN WAS SHINING DIRECTLY ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL SO WE COULD NOT SEE THE AUTOPLT ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE. IF THIS ACFT HAD AN AUDIBLE WARNING FOR AUTOPLT DISCONNECT THIS DEV WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. ALSO IT IS THE CREW'S JOB TO ALWAYS KNOW THE STATUS OF THE ACFT SYS. IF I WAS FOCUSING ON BASIC FLT INFO CORRECTIVE ACTION COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN QUICKER. THE CAPT COULD HAVE USED A MORE AGGRESSIVE CORRECTION ACTION AS WELL.
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.