UNITED STATES COAST GUARD MLT ALTDEV EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative

WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ECG TO COORDINATES OFFSHORE FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROL OUR ACFT EXPERIENCED A R FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE. AFTER TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION; I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED AN AMENDED CLRNC TO RETURN TO OTIS ANGB (FMH) FROM NORFOLK APCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED WASHINGTON CENTER. I HAD REQUESTED FL290 AS OUR FINAL ALT AND WAS LEVELED OFF AT FL270. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL270 FOR A PERIOD OF TIME; COPLT AT THE CTLS; AUTOPLT ENGAGED WITH ALT AND LNAV CAPTURED; SO I DECIDED TO REVIEW THE FLT HANDBOOK TO INSURE WE HAD CORRECTLY HANDLED THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE. WHILE READING; WASHINGTON CENTER ADVISED TFC 12 O'CLOCK; 20 MI; FL280. I ROGERED THE CALL AND TOLD THEM WE'D BE LOOKING. I THEN PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REVIEW OF THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILURE AND AS I REACHED UP TO CHK THE POS OF THE TRANSFER PUMP SWITCH I NOTICED OUR ALT AT FL275 AND CLBING; AS I REACHED FOR THE CTLS; CENTER ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ALT; I REPLIED WE WERE AT FL274 AND DSNDING TO FL270 AND THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. I THEN ASKED THE COPLT WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE STATED HE DIDN'T KNOW AND THAT HE THOUGHT CENTER WANTED US AT FL280. HOWEVER AFTER THE FLT; HE HAD NO RECALL OF WHAT HE HAD SAID OR HEARD OR IF HE HAD INITIATED THE CLB. SUBSEQUENT MAINT CHKS OF THE AUTOPLT SYS REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO HOW THIS INCIDENT ACTUALLY OCCURRED AND CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE COPLT THOUGHT CENTER WANTED US AT FL280 AND INITIATED THE CLB WITHOUT CONFIRMING THE ALT. THANKFULLY THE CENTER CTLR WAS ALERT AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO AVERT A DISASTER. I CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH! I ALSO REVIEWED MY HANDLING OF COCKPIT COORD AND FOUND IT LACKING IN DIRECTING INDIVIDUAL TASKS; I HAD ASSUMED THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE ONLY TO REALIZE HE WAS ENGROSSED IN THE FUEL SYS ALONG WITH ME. CLASSIC FAILURE OF COCKPIT COORD.