Flight lead for a flight of three flight attendant-18's departed using AGL as primary altitude sourc...

Attributes
ACN	754680
Time
Date	200709
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bkf.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hornet (F-18)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hornet (F-18)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	754680
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The lead pilot of a 3 ship of flight attendant-18's incorrectly configured the aircraft for IFR flight by having the radar altimeter reporting AGL altitude to the heads up display (HUD). Therefore; the lead pilot was seeing AGL altitude vice MSL altitude on his primary instrument reference. The flight attendant-18 automatically switches to MSL altitude at approximately 5000 ft AGL. Tower cleared the flight for takeoff at buckley by saying fly runway heading to 8 thousand. On takeoff; the #2 wingman had originally switched to the incorrect departure frequency; but then switched to the correct departure frequency immediately after takeoff when he crosschecked the frequency on his approach plate after not hearing any radio chatter or his flight lead check in with departure. As the flight passed through 8000 ft MSL (2300 ft AGL) the pilot of the #2 aircraft was confused; unsure if departure had cleared the flight higher before he had switched to the correct departure frequency. On the auxiliary radio he asked; I thought we were cleared to 8 thousand? The departure controller subsequently told the flight to descend immediately. The lead pilot then asked departure; say again altitude for flight X as they began a descent. At this point; the displayed altitude in the flight lead pilot's HUD switched from reporting AGL altitude to reporting barometric altitude and displayed approximately 10000 ft MSL. The lead pilot switched the setting to barometric altimeter to the HUD; and leveled off at 8000 ft MSL. Contributing factors: lead pilot failure to correctly configure the aircraft for IFR flight is the overriding factor in this incident. Poor CRM. The flight lead failed to resolve uncertainties between the assigned altitudes. Each flight member; the buckley clearance delivery agency; the buckley tower controller; and the departure controller all were players in this incident. Corrective actions: lead pilot will brief all squadron pilots on this incident emphasizing the importance of adhering to IFR procedures. Effective CRM will be thoroughly reviewed at the organization's next pilot training meeting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLIGHT LEAD FOR A FLIGHT OF THREE FA-18'S DEPARTED USING AGL AS PRIMARY ALT SOURCE FOR INSTRUMENT REFERENCE. AS A RESULT; THE FLIGHT OVERSHOT THE INITIAL ALT CLRNC ON DEP FROM A HIGH ALT ARPT.

Narrative: THE LEAD PLT OF A 3 SHIP OF FA-18'S INCORRECTLY CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR IFR FLT BY HAVING THE RADAR ALTIMETER RPTING AGL ALT TO THE HEADS UP DISPLAY (HUD). THEREFORE; THE LEAD PLT WAS SEEING AGL ALT VICE MSL ALT ON HIS PRIMARY INST REF. THE FA-18 AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES TO MSL ALT AT APPROX 5000 FT AGL. TWR CLRED THE FLT FOR TKOF AT BUCKLEY BY SAYING FLY RWY HDG TO 8 THOUSAND. ON TKOF; THE #2 WINGMAN HAD ORIGINALLY SWITCHED TO THE INCORRECT DEP FREQ; BUT THEN SWITCHED TO THE CORRECT DEP FREQ IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF WHEN HE XCHKED THE FREQ ON HIS APCH PLATE AFTER NOT HEARING ANY RADIO CHATTER OR HIS FLT LEAD CHK IN WITH DEP. AS THE FLT PASSED THROUGH 8000 FT MSL (2300 FT AGL) THE PLT OF THE #2 ACFT WAS CONFUSED; UNSURE IF DEP HAD CLRED THE FLT HIGHER BEFORE HE HAD SWITCHED TO THE CORRECT DEP FREQ. ON THE AUX RADIO HE ASKED; I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 8 THOUSAND? THE DEP CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THE FLT TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. THE LEAD PLT THEN ASKED DEP; SAY AGAIN ALT FOR FLT X AS THEY BEGAN A DSCNT. AT THIS POINT; THE DISPLAYED ALT IN THE FLT LEAD PLT'S HUD SWITCHED FROM RPTING AGL ALT TO RPTING BAROMETRIC ALT AND DISPLAYED APPROX 10000 FT MSL. THE LEAD PLT SWITCHED THE SETTING TO BAROMETRIC ALTIMETER TO THE HUD; AND LEVELED OFF AT 8000 FT MSL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LEAD PLT FAILURE TO CORRECTLY CONFIGURE THE ACFT FOR IFR FLT IS THE OVERRIDING FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT. POOR CRM. THE FLT LEAD FAILED TO RESOLVE UNCERTAINTIES BTWN THE ASSIGNED ALTS. EACH FLT MEMBER; THE BUCKLEY CLRNC DELIVERY AGENCY; THE BUCKLEY TWR CTLR; AND THE DEP CTLR ALL WERE PLAYERS IN THIS INCIDENT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: LEAD PLT WILL BRIEF ALL SQUADRON PLTS ON THIS INCIDENT EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ADHERING TO IFR PROCS. EFFECTIVE CRM WILL BE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED AT THE ORGANIZATION'S NEXT PLT TRAINING MEETING.

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.

Flight lead for a flight of three flight attendant-18's departed using AGL as primary altitude source for instrument reference. As a result; the flight overshot the initial altitude clearance on departure from a high altitude airport.