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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Situation: ARTCC only issuing climb clearance to FL230. Flight crew file for FL330. Similar sounding altitudes.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 121740 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198909 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zla |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 121740 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Please note that no incident or violation occurred with caused this report. I am submitting the report because I feel a change in ATC needs to take place. Throughout my aviation career of 21 yrs, I have been mystified as to why the ARTCC (low sector) clears an aircraft to FL230 during climb out when filed to a higher altitude. Intellectually, I realize that the low sector and high sector are divided at FL240, and that the low sector controller cannot clear an aircraft into the high sector. However, since FL230 and FL330 sound so very close in radio annunciation, many times pilots (when flying eastbound and filed for FL330) mistakenly confuse clearance to FL230 for clearance to FL330. I personally have been aware of the problem and always confirm my altitude if there is any question. However, I've heard flts break FL230 climbing to FL330, thinking they had been cleared to the higher altitude. This is truly a problem, and an easy one to correct. ARTCC procedure could be changed for the low controller to clear aircraft to FL240 versus FL230 for the handoff--there is no FL340 to confuse the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SITUATION: ARTCC ONLY ISSUING CLIMB CLRNC TO FL230. FLT CREW FILE FOR FL330. SIMILAR SOUNDING ALTS.
Narrative: PLEASE NOTE THAT NO INCIDENT OR VIOLATION OCCURRED WITH CAUSED THIS RPT. I AM SUBMITTING THE RPT BECAUSE I FEEL A CHANGE IN ATC NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. THROUGHOUT MY AVIATION CAREER OF 21 YRS, I HAVE BEEN MYSTIFIED AS TO WHY THE ARTCC (LOW SECTOR) CLRS AN ACFT TO FL230 DURING CLBOUT WHEN FILED TO A HIGHER ALT. INTELLECTUALLY, I REALIZE THAT THE LOW SECTOR AND HIGH SECTOR ARE DIVIDED AT FL240, AND THAT THE LOW SECTOR CTLR CANNOT CLR AN ACFT INTO THE HIGH SECTOR. HOWEVER, SINCE FL230 AND FL330 SOUND SO VERY CLOSE IN RADIO ANNUNCIATION, MANY TIMES PLTS (WHEN FLYING EBND AND FILED FOR FL330) MISTAKENLY CONFUSE CLRNC TO FL230 FOR CLRNC TO FL330. I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROB AND ALWAYS CONFIRM MY ALT IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION. HOWEVER, I'VE HEARD FLTS BREAK FL230 CLBING TO FL330, THINKING THEY HAD BEEN CLRED TO THE HIGHER ALT. THIS IS TRULY A PROB, AND AN EASY ONE TO CORRECT. ARTCC PROC COULD BE CHANGED FOR THE LOW CTLR TO CLR ACFT TO FL240 VERSUS FL230 FOR THE HDOF--THERE IS NO FL340 TO CONFUSE THE CLRNC.
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.