Narrative:

We were in cruise at FL360. I inquired as the PNF to ATC how the rides were above and below us. We were told they were fine; so we decided to climb to FL380. Toronto center then gave us a clearance to climb FL380. The first officer who was the PF selected FL380 in the altitude selector (I verified); selected vertical speed mode; and then scrolled the vertical speed wheel in an upward motion so the aircraft began a descent 1.5 FPM. It took me a few seconds to realize why we had started to descend; and then I stated 'we are descending; not climbing.' the first officer realized his mistake and reversed the vertical speed wheel from a descent to a climb. Our altitude at the lowest was approximately FL356. Toronto center called us as we climbed back through our original altitude and queried us on our intentions. Since we had talked about the ride at FL340; he wanted to make sure we understood our prior clearance to climb and not descend; but then again offered FL340 if we wanted it instead. Since we were already in our climb; I stated we did intend to climb to FL380 and that we were doing so. At that time; that was the end of the conversation with ATC. I feel many factors played into this situation. First; the first officer was new to the company and had approximately 250 hours in the aircraft and 500 total time! He was essentially still learning to fly the aircraft let alone fly in general. Secondly; we were not at an altitude where I felt comfortable with taking the controls; disconnecting the autoplt and pulling back on the yoke to climb. After looking back at the situation; I feel I could have prevented some of the altitude loss though; by simply making the vertical speed adjustment myself. As a captain; I keep finding out that I take a lot of my knowledge for granted. It seems obvious just from flying so much; that moving the vertical speed wheel in a downward direction makes the airplane climb. After thinking about what the first officer did; I can understand how he could still be a little confused. Moving the vertical speed wheel in an upward motion apparently was an instinctive move since we needed to climb; but in this case it caused us to descend. Hopefully after this event; he will be able to build from it and prevent it from happening again. I will continue to try and recognize these perceptions in other first officer's and react in a more prompt; appropriate way.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED FO OF CRJ DESCENDS VICE CLIMBS WHEN CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL360. I INQUIRED AS THE PNF TO ATC HOW THE RIDES WERE ABOVE AND BELOW US. WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE FINE; SO WE DECIDED TO CLB TO FL380. TORONTO CTR THEN GAVE US A CLRNC TO CLB FL380. THE FO WHO WAS THE PF SELECTED FL380 IN THE ALT SELECTOR (I VERIFIED); SELECTED VERT SPD MODE; AND THEN SCROLLED THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN AN UPWARD MOTION SO THE ACFT BEGAN A DSCNT 1.5 FPM. IT TOOK ME A FEW SECONDS TO REALIZE WHY WE HAD STARTED TO DSND; AND THEN I STATED 'WE ARE DSNDING; NOT CLBING.' THE FO REALIZED HIS MISTAKE AND REVERSED THE VERT SPD WHEEL FROM A DSCNT TO A CLB. OUR ALT AT THE LOWEST WAS APPROX FL356. TORONTO CTR CALLED US AS WE CLBED BACK THROUGH OUR ORIGINAL ALT AND QUERIED US ON OUR INTENTIONS. SINCE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE RIDE AT FL340; HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD OUR PRIOR CLRNC TO CLB AND NOT DSND; BUT THEN AGAIN OFFERED FL340 IF WE WANTED IT INSTEAD. SINCE WE WERE ALREADY IN OUR CLB; I STATED WE DID INTEND TO CLB TO FL380 AND THAT WE WERE DOING SO. AT THAT TIME; THAT WAS THE END OF THE CONVERSATION WITH ATC. I FEEL MANY FACTORS PLAYED INTO THIS SITUATION. FIRST; THE FO WAS NEW TO THE COMPANY AND HAD APPROX 250 HRS IN THE ACFT AND 500 TOTAL TIME! HE WAS ESSENTIALLY STILL LEARNING TO FLY THE ACFT LET ALONE FLY IN GENERAL. SECONDLY; WE WERE NOT AT AN ALT WHERE I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING THE CTLS; DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT AND PULLING BACK ON THE YOKE TO CLB. AFTER LOOKING BACK AT THE SITUATION; I FEEL I COULD HAVE PREVENTED SOME OF THE ALT LOSS THOUGH; BY SIMPLY MAKING THE VERT SPD ADJUSTMENT MYSELF. AS A CAPT; I KEEP FINDING OUT THAT I TAKE A LOT OF MY KNOWLEDGE FOR GRANTED. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS JUST FROM FLYING SO MUCH; THAT MOVING THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION MAKES THE AIRPLANE CLB. AFTER THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE FO DID; I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULD STILL BE A LITTLE CONFUSED. MOVING THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN AN UPWARD MOTION APPARENTLY WAS AN INSTINCTIVE MOVE SINCE WE NEEDED TO CLB; BUT IN THIS CASE IT CAUSED US TO DSND. HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS EVENT; HE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD FROM IT AND PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND RECOGNIZE THESE PERCEPTIONS IN OTHER FO'S AND REACT IN A MORE PROMPT; APPROPRIATE WAY.

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.