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Air carrier flight crew receives clearance and follows it after readback. Next sector ARTCC radar controller disputes that clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 125732 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ric |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc tower : dal |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11600 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 125732 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 125734 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
While in cruising flight at FL330 we were cleared to cross 80 NM south of ric VOR at fl (heard and read FL240). Crossing the 80 NM fix, level at 240, we were handed off the ZDC and reported on at 240. The controller asked us to verify our altitude (240) with some inflection of surprise. We asked if there was anything wrong, the controller advised that we should be at FL290. She told us that there was no problem and handed us off to another sector and the flight continued on to an uneventful landing. If indeed I misinterpreted the crossing instructions, and if I read back the correct altitude (290) but misset the altitude alerter to 240, an alert controller should have caught the deviation some time prior to a surprise handoff to a completely unsuspecting sector with a 5000' error in altitude, with no word of caution to either of us. We believe that the clearance to FL240 was given in error and followed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FLT CREW RECEIVES CLRNC AND FOLLOWS IT AFTER READBACK. NEXT SECTOR ARTCC RADAR CTLR DISPUTES THAT CLRNC.
Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISING FLT AT FL330 WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 80 NM S OF RIC VOR AT FL (HEARD AND READ FL240). XING THE 80 NM FIX, LEVEL AT 240, WE WERE HANDED OFF THE ZDC AND REPORTED ON AT 240. THE CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT (240) WITH SOME INFLECTION OF SURPRISE. WE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG, THE CTLR ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD BE AT FL290. SHE TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR AND THE FLT CONTINUED ON TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. IF INDEED I MISINTERPRETED THE XING INSTRUCTIONS, AND IF I READ BACK THE CORRECT ALT (290) BUT MISSET THE ALT ALERTER TO 240, AN ALERT CTLR SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE DEVIATION SOME TIME PRIOR TO A SURPRISE HANDOFF TO A COMPLETELY UNSUSPECTING SECTOR WITH A 5000' ERROR IN ALT, WITH NO WORD OF CAUTION TO EITHER OF US. WE BELIEVE THAT THE CLRNC TO FL240 WAS GIVEN IN ERROR AND FOLLOWED.
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.