A CLBING J3100 OVERSHOT ITS ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT ADMITS TO DAYDREAMING WHILE THE FO WAS ON COMPANY RADIO.

Date: 1998-09 · Aircraft: Jetstream 31 · Phase: climb

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-altitude-overshoot|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-other-unknown

Synopsis

A CLBING J3100 OVERSHOT ITS ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT ADMITS TO DAYDREAMING WHILE THE FO WAS ON COMPANY RADIO.

Narrative

THE CAPT AND I WERE ENRTE TO SMF AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. WE WERE CLBING TO 7000 FT AND MADE OUR NORMAL 1000 FT TO GO AND 100 FT TO GO CALLS. I WAS OFF RADIO #1; THE CAPT WAS MONITORING BAY APCH ON RADIO #1. I WAS ON RADIO #2 CALLING IN OUR TIMES TO SFO OPS. WHEN I FINISHED AND LOOKED UP; THE CAPT AND I BOTH NOTICED AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE HAD VIOLATED THE ALT BY 800 FT. HE QUICKLY CORRECTED BACK TO 7000 FT AND THE CTLR NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LESS DISTR BY MY OTHER DUTIES AND BACKED UP THE CAPT BY CATCHING THE MISTAKE BEFORE IT HAD GONE SO FAR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 414916: WHILE FO CONTACTED COMPANY ON COM #2; I SIGNALED WITH MY INDEX FINGER (COMPANY PROC) 1000 FT TO GO WHILE CLBING THROUGH 6000 FT MSL. NEXT; I CALLED 100 FT; AS DID THE FO; AND I BEGAN MY LEVELOFF AT 8000 FT; WHILE BELIEVING I WAS AT 7000 FT. AFTER LEVELING; I GLANCED AT OUR ALT ALERTER AND NOTICED 7000 FT SET. I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. THE FO WAS NOTICING THE DISCREPANCY SIMULTANEOUSLY. I BELIEVE SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO THIS ERROR. THE MOST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR BEING MY COMPLACENCY; AS MY MIND WAS ELSEWHERE WHILE CLBING THROUGH 7000 FT AND THIS INATTN LED TO THE ALTDEV. MINOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF PNF NOTICING DEV IN TIME TO PREVENT ITS EXCESS. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE PNF'S DISTR WITH CALLING COMPANY.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.