Incident Overview
On 29 April 2017, an Airbus A320 (type not further specified) was cruising in RVSM airspace when the crew received a climb instruction from ATC to flight level FL320. During the climb, a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Resolution Advisory (RA) was generated. Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) analysis revealed that the vertical speed momentarily reached 3000 ft/min with a pitch angle of 6°, which triggered the TCAS RA. The situation was resolved after the autopilot was disengaged and the pitch angle reduced, causing the TCAS RA to cancel.
Cause
The investigation determined that the cause of the incident was pilot error by the First Officer (F/O), who exceeded the maximum climb rate allowed in RVSM airspace.
Contributing Factors
Two factors were identified as contributing to the occurrence:
- Improper crew coordination.
- Moderate turbulence.
Operator Actions
Following the incident, the operator took the following preventive measures:
- A meeting with both pilots to discuss the event.
- Scheduling both pilots for additional simulator training focusing on RVSM procedures.
- Issuing a safety bulletin covering a discussion of the incident.
Safety Recommendations
No safety recommendations were formulated by the investigating commission.