Altitude deviation by flight crew of large transport.

Attributes
ACN	126695
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 114 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 87
ASRS Report	126695
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	126857
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from ord to lga via the milton 5 arrival, we were issued a crossing clearance by ATC. The first officer read back the clearance as he heard it: 'cross 5 west abe at and maintain 11000'.' after passing through 12000', ATC issued a request to our flight, but the transmission was garbled. When the first officer asked for the controller to repeat, the controller then asked for our flight's current altitude. We responded. (Our altitude at the time was somewhat below 12000'.) a clearance was then issued by ATC to turn right immediately to 180 degrees and maintain 11000', to report level 11000' and traffic at 9 O'clock, 12000'. The first officer reported level 11000'. ATC then issued further clearance to abe and the milton 5 arrival. The captain then radioed the controller. He stated that our readback was to cross 5 mi west abe at 11000'. The controller responded by saying we were cleared to 13000'. A minute later another controller resumed control of the previous controller's position. He stated that there had been a conflict and the tapes would be reviewed. Upon review of the tapes, the controller did issue a clearance to cross 5 mi west abe at 13000'. The tape also revealed that the first officer stated 11000' in his readback. Noise in the cockpit was higher than normal due to wind (low altitude, high speed). The purpose for readbacks of headings, altitudes, etc, is to verify that the pilots clearly hear and understand the clearance. More care must be taken on both parts to ensure the accuracy of clrncs in readbacks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION BY FLT CREW OF LGT.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ORD TO LGA VIA THE MILTON 5 ARR, WE WERE ISSUED A XING CLRNC BY ATC. THE F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC AS HE HEARD IT: 'CROSS 5 W ABE AT AND MAINTAIN 11000'.' AFTER PASSING THROUGH 12000', ATC ISSUED A REQUEST TO OUR FLT, BUT THE XMISSION WAS GARBLED. WHEN THE F/O ASKED FOR THE CTLR TO REPEAT, THE CTLR THEN ASKED FOR OUR FLT'S CURRENT ALT. WE RESPONDED. (OUR ALT AT THE TIME WAS SOMEWHAT BELOW 12000'.) A CLRNC WAS THEN ISSUED BY ATC TO TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY TO 180 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 11000', TO RPT LEVEL 11000' AND TFC AT 9 O'CLOCK, 12000'. THE F/O RPTED LEVEL 11000'. ATC THEN ISSUED FURTHER CLRNC TO ABE AND THE MILTON 5 ARR. THE CAPT THEN RADIOED THE CTLR. HE STATED THAT OUR READBACK WAS TO CROSS 5 MI W ABE AT 11000'. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY SAYING WE WERE CLRED TO 13000'. A MINUTE LATER ANOTHER CTLR RESUMED CTL OF THE PREVIOUS CTLR'S POS. HE STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A CONFLICT AND THE TAPES WOULD BE REVIEWED. UPON REVIEW OF THE TAPES, THE CTLR DID ISSUE A CLRNC TO CROSS 5 MI W ABE AT 13000'. THE TAPE ALSO REVEALED THAT THE F/O STATED 11000' IN HIS READBACK. NOISE IN THE COCKPIT WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL DUE TO WIND (LOW ALT, HIGH SPD). THE PURPOSE FOR READBACKS OF HDGS, ALTS, ETC, IS TO VERIFY THAT THE PLTS CLEARLY HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE CLRNC. MORE CARE MUST BE TAKEN ON BOTH PARTS TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF CLRNCS IN READBACKS.

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.