<< >> NASA ASRS Report 122683, September 1989

Controller issued assigned altitude 4000'. Flight crew read back 14000'. Controller did not catch. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	122683
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ahn
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	122683
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft overflying ahn northeast bound on V66 at 5000' and air carrier X, an medium large transport that departed ahn VFR and requested an IFR clearance to clt. I was providing OJT to a trnee. He issued a clearance to air carrier X to fly heading 150 degrees vectors for climb, climb and maintain 4000'. We thought air carrier X read back heading 150 degrees climbing to 4000'. He read the heading correct, but the altitude as 14000'. Air carrier X requested altitude was 15000'. When air carrier X altitude readout indicated 4000', he asked if he was cleared to 4000 or 14000'. He was told 4000', which he acknowledged. Approximately 15 seconds later the altitude readout read 4400'. The C/a was activated. Air carrier X was asked to verify level at 4000'. His reply was affirmative. He did say after the affirmative that he had gone a little over, but came back down. Since his altitude readout was never confirmed, it is impossible to tell exactly how far air carrier X went above 4000', was it 10 or 400', or more? The least possible sep would be approximately 4.6 mi and 600'.

Related reports:

• Controller assigned correct altitude air carrier X readback ...
• ARTCC controller exited assigned airspace with air carrier X...

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED ASSIGNED ALT 4000'. FLT CREW READ BACK 14000'. CTLR DID NOT CATCH. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: SMA OVERFLYING AHN NE BOUND ON V66 AT 5000' AND ACR X, AN MLG THAT DEPARTED AHN VFR AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC TO CLT. I WAS PROVIDING OJT TO A TRNEE. HE ISSUED A CLRNC TO ACR X TO FLY HDG 150 DEGS VECTORS FOR CLB, CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. WE THOUGHT ACR X READ BACK HDG 150 DEGS CLBING TO 4000'. HE READ THE HDG CORRECT, BUT THE ALT AS 14000'. ACR X REQUESTED ALT WAS 15000'. WHEN ACR X ALT READOUT INDICATED 4000', HE ASKED IF HE WAS CLRED TO 4000 OR 14000'. HE WAS TOLD 4000', WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. APPROX 15 SECS LATER THE ALT READOUT READ 4400'. THE C/A WAS ACTIVATED. ACR X WAS ASKED TO VERIFY LEVEL AT 4000'. HIS REPLY WAS AFFIRMATIVE. HE DID SAY AFTER THE AFFIRMATIVE THAT HE HAD GONE A LITTLE OVER, BUT CAME BACK DOWN. SINCE HIS ALT READOUT WAS NEVER CONFIRMED, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL EXACTLY HOW FAR ACR X WENT ABOVE 4000', WAS IT 10 OR 400', OR MORE? THE LEAST POSSIBLE SEP WOULD BE APPROX 4.6 MI AND 600'.

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.