Medium large transport has altitude deviation when autoplt fails to capture altitude

Attributes
ACN	87169
Time
Date	198805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gdm
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 340
ASRS Report	87169
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival into boston we were given a clearance to cross 15 east of gdm at 11000'. The flight guidance and autoplt were on and altitude thought to be armed. Captain was busy copying new ATIS as bos had very low WX. I was changing his VOR so we could identify rever intersection and proceed on the STAR. At that time we heard our altitude alert call out 'altitude' at 10700'. I immediately disconnected autoplt and automatic throttles and began climbing back to 11000'. We were now at 10500. In about 7 seconds we were back at 11000'. Center did not say anything to us. We proceeded on course and landed at boston. It was a classic example of a busy 2 man crew relying on its automation. This is a situation where the flight engineer is missed greatly. Instead of the captain getting the ATIS the flight engineer would have had this duty. Maybe if the controller told us the new ATIS this might not have happened. But he was busy also. Goes to show how important you must monitor these very automated planes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS ALT DEVIATION WHEN AUTOPLT FAILS TO CAPTURE ALT

Narrative: ON ARRIVAL INTO BOSTON WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS 15 E OF GDM AT 11000'. THE FLT GUIDANCE AND AUTOPLT WERE ON AND ALT THOUGHT TO BE ARMED. CAPT WAS BUSY COPYING NEW ATIS AS BOS HAD VERY LOW WX. I WAS CHANGING HIS VOR SO WE COULD IDENTIFY REVER INTXN AND PROCEED ON THE STAR. AT THAT TIME WE HEARD OUR ALT ALERT CALL OUT 'ALT' AT 10700'. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND AUTO THROTTLES AND BEGAN CLIMBING BACK TO 11000'. WE WERE NOW AT 10500. IN ABOUT 7 SECONDS WE WERE BACK AT 11000'. CENTER DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO US. WE PROCEEDED ON COURSE AND LANDED AT BOSTON. IT WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A BUSY 2 MAN CREW RELYING ON ITS AUTOMATION. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE THE FLT ENGINEER IS MISSED GREATLY. INSTEAD OF THE CAPT GETTING THE ATIS THE FLT ENGINEER WOULD HAVE HAD THIS DUTY. MAYBE IF THE CTLR TOLD US THE NEW ATIS THIS MIGHT NOT HAVE HAPPENED. BUT HE WAS BUSY ALSO. GOES TO SHOW HOW IMPORTANT YOU MUST MONITOR THESE VERY AUTOMATED PLANES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.