Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 212; Flight Crew Total 13254; Flight Crew Type 1022
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
During crew change; crew cleaned MCP with sanitizer wipes. 'MAY' have bumped ALT Knob on MCP. No changes made or observed on MCP. Message sent to ZZZZ Center via CPDLC: MCP touched. Center sent message questioning crew. Crew explained what may have happened. Center understood and explained no deviations were noted but they have been having these issues lately and their engineers were wondering what could be the cause. They are cleaning their equipment as we are due to COVID-19.
[At] FL400 during crew change received message from ZZZZ Center on CPDLC CONFIRM LEVEL FL400. Crew accepted and confirmed FL400 CPDLC as well as voice that there was no change. Just prior to this message during crew change the crew was cleaning their relief station. There could have been an inadvertent activation of the ALT knob during cleaning MCP panel with wipes that resulted in a CPDLC deviation message. There was no sign or indication on the MCP or FLT instruments of such a deviation; and aircraft maintained its assigned ALT of FL400. The crew relayed the information to ATC and they reported that this same type of issue has happened before with the MCP deviation alert; but crew verifying no deviation.ATC replied that engineering is collecting data for this issue. In good humor; they said their keyboards have never been cleaner since the COVID-19.
Air carrier Captain and First Officer reported that while sanitizing the MCP during crew change; the ALT knob may have been inadvertently bumped.