ACR LGT ALT DEV OVERSHOT DURING CLB OUT FROM DEN. FO CLAIMS TCASII TA WAS PART OF THE DISTR THAT KEPT HIM FROM NOTICING THE ERROR.
Synopsis
ACR LGT ALT DEV OVERSHOT DURING CLB OUT FROM DEN. FO CLAIMS TCASII TA WAS PART OF THE DISTR THAT KEPT HIM FROM NOTICING THE ERROR.
Narrative
FLT WAS ON INITIAL CLBOUT TO CLRED ALT OF 10000 FT ON RWY HDG OF 352 DEG. WE WERE FOLLOWING TFC OFF RWY 35R AND L. AN LGT X WAS CLBING SLOWLY IN FRONT OF US AND WAS THEN CLRED TO TURN WBOUND. AT THIS TIME WE GOT THE FIRST TA FROM TCASII. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO A HDG OF 230 DEG TO INTERCEPT OUR RTE; AS FILED. THIS TURN PUT OUR TRACK INSIDE THE LGT X. WE MADE THE 9000 FOR 10000 FT CALL AND VERY SHORTLY GOT ANOTHER TA FROM TCASII. WE WERE ALSO SWITCHED ON RADIO FREQS. I GOT OVERLOADED AND DID NOT NOTICE WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE CLRED ALT OF 10000 FT. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THE TFC PROBLEM; WATCH THE OTHER ACFT CHANGE FREQS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ASSIST THE CAPT IN COCKPIT DUTIES. AT 10300 FT THE CAPT NOTED THAT WE HAD OVERSHOT OUR CLRED ALT AND PUSHED THE NOSE OVER. AT 10400 FT THE CTLR ASKED US TO 'CHK OUR ALT'. WE THEN GOT ANOTHER TA; SOURCE UNRESOLVED. CTLR WAS VERY BUSY ALSO AND NOTHING MORE WAS SAID ABOUT THE OVERSHOOT. I BELIEVE SEVERAL FACTORS INFLUENCED THIS SITUATION: THE HIGH WORKLOAD ON A 2 PERSON CREW IN A HIGH DENSITY TFC AREA; THE CONTINUED DISTR OF THE TCASII. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER SEEN IT OPERATIONAL. MY PERSONAL LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE LET MY CAPT DOWN. COMPANY HAD DISCONTINUED FLYING FOR THEIR INSTRUCTORS AND I HAD ONLY 62.5 HRS IN THE LAST YR; AND 19.7 HRS IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. THE CLOSE TURN INSIDE THE TURN OF THE PRECEDING LGT HAD ME DISTRACTED. THIS ACFT WAS APPARENTLY NOT THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TA FROM THE TCASII. NEITHER OF US WERE EVER ABLE TO SIGHT THE TFC IT WAS REFING AND THIS ADDED CONFUSION TO THE PROBLEM. THE TCASII ON THIS ACFT LATER WENT INTO 'TCAS FAIL' MODE IN ANOTHER HIGH DENSITY TFC AREA. I THINK THAT THIS ACFT SHOULD HAVE AN AURAL ALT BEEPER; SUCH AS ON THE LGT X; TO ALERT THE CREW WHEN THEY ARE BOTH LOADED UP AS WE WERE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.