Narrative:

I've always known and it has been duly noted in the many issues of callback I have read that no one event by itself causes an 'incident'. As I reflect on my circumstances I realize the stage was being set several days in advance. As usual the boss will not confirm the existence of a trip or the ETD until the day of departure arrives, and will not reveal or discuss any subsequent legs of a trip until we land from the previous leg. Needless to say this causes continuous standby duty and the inability to plan with any kind of certainty any personal or family activities which adds to the stress and frustration of the job. It has always been this way and will continue to be this way as long as he owns an airplane. He says if he has to schedule he might as well be on an airline (so we don't try to force a schedule) and he feels more secure if he doesn't broadcast his intentions in advance. It has been said by others that he just hates to make decisions and puts it off as long as he can and the use of his own aircraft affords him that opportunity. So, wed morning in june we got confirmation on our rumored trip to kege with an xa pm departure, no mention of a return (typical). We arrive in ege and as he leaves the aircraft the boss says he doesn't know if he is going home sat or sun, he will call us fri night and let us know. The other pilot and I had guessed wrong again, both of us had expected to return fri, so we called our families and told them to cancel the weekend plans but we could still probably have dinner with them sat or sun night. Fri night the boss calls and says we will go home sun morning. We call the families and say sorry about sat, but we will be home for dinner sun night. Sat night the boss calls and says instead of going home tomorrow we will be going to lax for a day or two. We call our families again and give them the news. Needless to say everybody is real 'happy' about this. Sun arrives and everything is ready for departure--fuel, catering, flight plan, etc from kege, and FBO, rental cars, limo, hotels, etc for arrival lax. Boss shows up on time (should have known that something was going to go wrong). We load people and bags, complete the passenger brief, close the door and get ready for engine start. There is no tower just an FSS and unicom. FSS had advised earlier that it would request a clearance from ZDV when we are ready to taxi. So we start them both up and call FSS for airport advisory and our clearance. As I start taxiing FSS advises there will be a 20 min delay on our clearance as den has a departure coming off avon (STOL port) that had called first. The WX being clear and 40 mi visibility and the avon traffic not being a problem on our proposed route of flight, I told the other pilot to tell FSS we would depart VFR and get our clearance from den en route. As we are talking another aircraft calls FSS and reports that he is about 18 (I think) mi out and descending for a visual straight in the 25 (our runway for departure). I comment that we will try to get out before him. As the copilot starts talking to FSS to advise him of our intentions, the flight phone (cabin intercom) rings and I answer it. The boss says 'oh by the way did I tell you we want to get to santa monica (smo) instead of lax'. I can feel my blood pressure beginning to rise what with all the previous changes taking place and now this! But I try to remain calm and cooly reply 'no sir, you didn't' (my mind was racing ahead with all the myriad details to be sorted out and changed en route, hoping to get him to reconsider lax, I continue) 'sir smo has a noise abatement plan in effect and a curfew that may affect your operations, I don't believe the runway is long enough to permit a nonstop return home if that is where we are going from there, and all the setup plans for our arrival in lax will have to be redone at smo. I'll call you back after we get airborne and see what we can do'. By this time we are approaching the end of the runway, the copilot has finished talking to FSS, we are finishing checklist. Asked copilot about inbound traffic and he said no factorand said FSS requested no delay on departure. He announced in the blind as we take runway of our departure on runway 25 ege and we launch. Our takeoff is normal and we made left turn out of traffic, complete after takeoff checklist and copilot tries to reach ZDV. I'm climb VFR to 16,500 to intercept J60 almost directly towards dbl. Copilot can't reach den so I suggest going back to FSS for another frequency. He realized he had 128.05 instead of 128.5. Den wants to know where we are. We say 'climbing thru altitude and heading towards dbl and J-60. He wanted to know who clrd us, we were clrd only to sxw. I questioned copilot, saying we were VFR. He was as puzzled as me, 'no we got a clearance direct sxw flight plan route and that is what you're flying, isn't it?' we figured out that FSS called and issued a clearance that I didn't hear. It was also clearance copilot misunderstood, wrote down wrong. Copilot knew I hadn't filed sxw but it was just a couple mi off departure end of runway. So, my VFR departure looked to him like the IFR clearance he understood, but was all together different from what FSS and center had issued. Thanks to good WX, an alert ATC specialist who saw us pop up where we shouldn't have been, (he had traffic out of aspen that we would have intruded on their airspace if he hadn't turned them), and lady luck, a serious situation or possible accident was avoided. We let the system and our fellow airmen down. We are taking a stress management course so that irritations from the boss won't affect us (me) as strongly. Have scheduled a CRM refresher. Copilot realizes his hearing isn't what it used to be and will wear both earplugs on his headset when copying clrncs. Both crew members will copy clearance and compare. If interphone rings on ground, we will pull over to side and stop what we're doing to answer it. We don't rush departures, ever! Before taking runway we will both know, understand, and recite, and comply with the clearance. (We went to lax as originally planned.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW MISUNDERSTANDING OF CLRNC DUE TO DISTRACTION.

Narrative: I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN AND IT HAS BEEN DULY NOTED IN THE MANY ISSUES OF CALLBACK I HAVE READ THAT NO ONE EVENT BY ITSELF CAUSES AN 'INCIDENT'. AS I REFLECT ON MY CIRCUMSTANCES I REALIZE THE STAGE WAS BEING SET SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE. AS USUAL THE BOSS WILL NOT CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF A TRIP OR THE ETD UNTIL THE DAY OF DEP ARRIVES, AND WILL NOT REVEAL OR DISCUSS ANY SUBSEQUENT LEGS OF A TRIP UNTIL WE LAND FROM THE PREVIOUS LEG. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS CAUSES CONTINUOUS STANDBY DUTY AND THE INABILITY TO PLAN WITH ANY KIND OF CERTAINTY ANY PERSONAL OR FAMILY ACTIVITIES WHICH ADDS TO THE STRESS AND FRUSTRATION OF THE JOB. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THIS WAY AS LONG AS HE OWNS AN AIRPLANE. HE SAYS IF HE HAS TO SCHEDULE HE MIGHT AS WELL BE ON AN AIRLINE (SO WE DON'T TRY TO FORCE A SCHEDULE) AND HE FEELS MORE SECURE IF HE DOESN'T BROADCAST HIS INTENTIONS IN ADVANCE. IT HAS BEEN SAID BY OTHERS THAT HE JUST HATES TO MAKE DECISIONS AND PUTS IT OFF AS LONG AS HE CAN AND THE USE OF HIS OWN ACFT AFFORDS HIM THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO, WED MORNING IN JUNE WE GOT CONFIRMATION ON OUR RUMORED TRIP TO KEGE WITH AN XA PM DEP, NO MENTION OF A RETURN (TYPICAL). WE ARRIVE IN EGE AND AS HE LEAVES THE ACFT THE BOSS SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW IF HE IS GOING HOME SAT OR SUN, HE WILL CALL US FRI NIGHT AND LET US KNOW. THE OTHER PLT AND I HAD GUESSED WRONG AGAIN, BOTH OF US HAD EXPECTED TO RETURN FRI, SO WE CALLED OUR FAMILIES AND TOLD THEM TO CANCEL THE WEEKEND PLANS BUT WE COULD STILL PROBABLY HAVE DINNER WITH THEM SAT OR SUN NIGHT. FRI NIGHT THE BOSS CALLS AND SAYS WE WILL GO HOME SUN MORNING. WE CALL THE FAMILIES AND SAY SORRY ABOUT SAT, BUT WE WILL BE HOME FOR DINNER SUN NIGHT. SAT NIGHT THE BOSS CALLS AND SAYS INSTEAD OF GOING HOME TOMORROW WE WILL BE GOING TO LAX FOR A DAY OR TWO. WE CALL OUR FAMILIES AGAIN AND GIVE THEM THE NEWS. NEEDLESS TO SAY EVERYBODY IS REAL 'HAPPY' ABOUT THIS. SUN ARRIVES AND EVERYTHING IS READY FOR DEP--FUEL, CATERING, FLT PLAN, ETC FROM KEGE, AND FBO, RENTAL CARS, LIMO, HOTELS, ETC FOR ARR LAX. BOSS SHOWS UP ON TIME (SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO GO WRONG). WE LOAD PEOPLE AND BAGS, COMPLETE THE PAX BRIEF, CLOSE THE DOOR AND GET READY FOR ENGINE START. THERE IS NO TWR JUST AN FSS AND UNICOM. FSS HAD ADVISED EARLIER THAT IT WOULD REQUEST A CLRNC FROM ZDV WHEN WE ARE READY TO TAXI. SO WE START THEM BOTH UP AND CALL FSS FOR ARPT ADVISORY AND OUR CLRNC. AS I START TAXIING FSS ADVISES THERE WILL BE A 20 MIN DELAY ON OUR CLRNC AS DEN HAS A DEP COMING OFF AVON (STOL PORT) THAT HAD CALLED FIRST. THE WX BEING CLEAR AND 40 MI VISIBILITY AND THE AVON TFC NOT BEING A PROBLEM ON OUR PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLT, I TOLD THE OTHER PLT TO TELL FSS WE WOULD DEPART VFR AND GET OUR CLRNC FROM DEN ENRTE. AS WE ARE TALKING ANOTHER ACFT CALLS FSS AND REPORTS THAT HE IS ABOUT 18 (I THINK) MI OUT AND DESCENDING FOR A VISUAL STRAIGHT IN THE 25 (OUR RWY FOR DEP). I COMMENT THAT WE WILL TRY TO GET OUT BEFORE HIM. AS THE COPLT STARTS TALKING TO FSS TO ADVISE HIM OF OUR INTENTIONS, THE FLT PHONE (CABIN INTERCOM) RINGS AND I ANSWER IT. THE BOSS SAYS 'OH BY THE WAY DID I TELL YOU WE WANT TO GET TO SANTA MONICA (SMO) INSTEAD OF LAX'. I CAN FEEL MY BLOOD PRESSURE BEGINNING TO RISE WHAT WITH ALL THE PREVIOUS CHANGES TAKING PLACE AND NOW THIS! BUT I TRY TO REMAIN CALM AND COOLY REPLY 'NO SIR, YOU DIDN'T' (MY MIND WAS RACING AHEAD WITH ALL THE MYRIAD DETAILS TO BE SORTED OUT AND CHANGED ENRTE, HOPING TO GET HIM TO RECONSIDER LAX, I CONTINUE) 'SIR SMO HAS A NOISE ABATEMENT PLAN IN EFFECT AND A CURFEW THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR OPERATIONS, I DON'T BELIEVE THE RWY IS LONG ENOUGH TO PERMIT A NONSTOP RETURN HOME IF THAT IS WHERE WE ARE GOING FROM THERE, AND ALL THE SETUP PLANS FOR OUR ARR IN LAX WILL HAVE TO BE REDONE AT SMO. I'LL CALL YOU BACK AFTER WE GET AIRBORNE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO'. BY THIS TIME WE ARE APCHING THE END OF THE RWY, THE COPLT HAS FINISHED TALKING TO FSS, WE ARE FINISHING CHECKLIST. ASKED COPLT ABOUT INBND TFC AND HE SAID NO FACTORAND SAID FSS REQUESTED NO DELAY ON DEP. HE ANNOUNCED IN THE BLIND AS WE TAKE RWY OF OUR DEP ON RWY 25 EGE AND WE LAUNCH. OUR TKOF IS NORMAL AND WE MADE LEFT TURN OUT OF TFC, COMPLETE AFTER TKOF CHECKLIST AND COPLT TRIES TO REACH ZDV. I'M CLIMB VFR TO 16,500 TO INTERCEPT J60 ALMOST DIRECTLY TOWARDS DBL. COPLT CAN'T REACH DEN SO I SUGGEST GOING BACK TO FSS FOR ANOTHER FREQ. HE REALIZED HE HAD 128.05 INSTEAD OF 128.5. DEN WANTS TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE. WE SAY 'CLBING THRU ALT AND HDG TOWARDS DBL AND J-60. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHO CLRD US, WE WERE CLRD ONLY TO SXW. I QUESTIONED COPLT, SAYING WE WERE VFR. HE WAS AS PUZZLED AS ME, 'NO WE GOT A CLRNC DIRECT SXW FLT PLAN RTE AND THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE FLYING, ISN'T IT?' WE FIGURED OUT THAT FSS CALLED AND ISSUED A CLRNC THAT I DIDN'T HEAR. IT WAS ALSO CLRNC COPLT MISUNDERSTOOD, WROTE DOWN WRONG. COPLT KNEW I HADN'T FILED SXW BUT IT WAS JUST A COUPLE MI OFF DEP END OF RWY. SO, MY VFR DEP LOOKED TO HIM LIKE THE IFR CLRNC HE UNDERSTOOD, BUT WAS ALL TOGETHER DIFFERENT FROM WHAT FSS AND CENTER HAD ISSUED. THANKS TO GOOD WX, AN ALERT ATC SPECIALIST WHO SAW US POP UP WHERE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, (HE HAD TFC OUT OF ASPEN THAT WE WOULD HAVE INTRUDED ON THEIR AIRSPACE IF HE HADN'T TURNED THEM), AND LADY LUCK, A SERIOUS SITUATION OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. WE LET THE SYSTEM AND OUR FELLOW AIRMEN DOWN. WE ARE TAKING A STRESS MGMNT COURSE SO THAT IRRITATIONS FROM THE BOSS WON'T AFFECT US (ME) AS STRONGLY. HAVE SCHEDULED A CRM REFRESHER. COPLT REALIZES HIS HEARING ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE AND WILL WEAR BOTH EARPLUGS ON HIS HEADSET WHEN COPYING CLRNCS. BOTH CREW MEMBERS WILL COPY CLRNC AND COMPARE. IF INTERPHONE RINGS ON GND, WE WILL PULL OVER TO SIDE AND STOP WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ANSWER IT. WE DON'T RUSH DEPS, EVER! BEFORE TAKING RWY WE WILL BOTH KNOW, UNDERSTAND, AND RECITE, AND COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC. (WE WENT TO LAX AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.