PA31; transporting a patient; failed to level at cleared altitude. Passenger accompanying patient wa...

Attributes
ACN	778291
Time
Date	200803
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : s56.tracon
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow Turbulence
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	778291
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Passenger Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

I thought approach requested to cross at 15000 ft; 15 mi from watts. That is what I wrote down and read back. As I descended through about 15500 ft; the controller asked me if I wanted lower and also advised that I was supposed to stop at 16000 ft. I apologized and said I had 15000 ft written down. He basically said no problem and I was handed off to the next controller. A few mins later; the next controller instructed me to descend to 11000 ft. The autoplt was set to 11000 ft and the plane was slowing its descent rate as it passed through 11300 ft. I looked away for a moment and when I looked back at the altimeter I saw we were at 10700 ft and immediately started hand flying the correction. At the same time; the controller restated her 11000 ft instruction. After leveling off; I noticed the patient's mother; who was a little large; had her knee resting on the side of the throttle quadrant and was just touching the autoplt. The autoplt had been turned off. I asked her nicely if she could be careful not to lean her legs against the center controls. I realize the need to bring family members along on medical transports; especially when the patient is a minor; however; I am becoming more and more uncomfortable having a large; untrained individual in the right seat. I'm not sure how this could be regulated without requiring larger; more expensive aircraft for any charter flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that it is not uncommon for a family member to accompany the patient. The patient is in the cabin with the assisting medical personnel. The only available seat is then the right seat. A passenger briefing is accomplished; but the passenger seldom remembers the critical components he has access to. Large passenger are particularly difficult; especially when their attention is primarily focused on their loved one in the cabin. The reporter would prefer a larger aircraft for this operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31; TRANSPORTING A PATIENT; FAILED TO LEVEL AT CLEARED ALT. PAX ACCOMPANYING PATIENT WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT PLT SEAT AND INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT.

Narrative: I THOUGHT APCH REQUESTED TO CROSS AT 15000 FT; 15 MI FROM WATTS. THAT IS WHAT I WROTE DOWN AND READ BACK. AS I DSNDED THROUGH ABOUT 15500 FT; THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I WANTED LOWER AND ALSO ADVISED THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO STOP AT 16000 FT. I APOLOGIZED AND SAID I HAD 15000 FT WRITTEN DOWN. HE BASICALLY SAID NO PROB AND I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. A FEW MINS LATER; THE NEXT CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO DSND TO 11000 FT. THE AUTOPLT WAS SET TO 11000 FT AND THE PLANE WAS SLOWING ITS DSCNT RATE AS IT PASSED THROUGH 11300 FT. I LOOKED AWAY FOR A MOMENT AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE ALTIMETER I SAW WE WERE AT 10700 FT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED HAND FLYING THE CORRECTION. AT THE SAME TIME; THE CTLR RESTATED HER 11000 FT INSTRUCTION. AFTER LEVELING OFF; I NOTICED THE PATIENT'S MOTHER; WHO WAS A LITTLE LARGE; HAD HER KNEE RESTING ON THE SIDE OF THE THROTTLE QUADRANT AND WAS JUST TOUCHING THE AUTOPLT. THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. I ASKED HER NICELY IF SHE COULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO LEAN HER LEGS AGAINST THE CTR CTLS. I REALIZE THE NEED TO BRING FAMILY MEMBERS ALONG ON MEDICAL TRANSPORTS; ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PATIENT IS A MINOR; HOWEVER; I AM BECOMING MORE AND MORE UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING A LARGE; UNTRAINED INDIVIDUAL IN THE R SEAT. I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS COULD BE REGULATED WITHOUT REQUIRING LARGER; MORE EXPENSIVE ACFT FOR ANY CHARTER FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR A FAMILY MEMBER TO ACCOMPANY THE PATIENT. THE PATIENT IS IN THE CABIN WITH THE ASSISTING MEDICAL PERSONNEL. THE ONLY AVAILABLE SEAT IS THEN THE RIGHT SEAT. A PAX BRIEFING IS ACCOMPLISHED; BUT THE PAX SELDOM REMEMBERS THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS HE HAS ACCESS TO. LARGE PAX ARE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT; ESPECIALLY WHEN THEIR ATTENTION IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THEIR LOVED ONE IN THE CABIN. THE REPORTER WOULD PREFER A LARGER ACFT FOR THIS OPERATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

PA31; transporting a patient; failed to level at cleared altitude. Passenger accompanying patient was sitting in the right pilot seat and inadvertently disconnected the autopilot.