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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew deviation and lack of communications courtesy leads to verbal aggression on part of both PIC and ARTCC radar controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 141625 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199004 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dqo |
| State Reference | DE |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other cruise other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 141625 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Our flight had asked for 17000' looking for smooth air, and been cleared direct to dupont. We were handed off to a new sector and were experiencing moderate turbulence. Soon the controller asked if we were proceeding to dupont. The captain replied that we were avoiding WX (I think that maybe the controller didn't know we had been cleared direct to dupont and weren't on the published route because our deviation was a few degrees and maybe 1/4 DOT deviation on the HSI). We were told to proceed direct to dupont. We complied. A few moments later we asked for a higher altitude and were told something like, 'I can't do anything with you until you get into my area--turn right 20 degrees.' shortly we were given high and cleared direct to dupont. Soon we were asked, '(call sign), do you show yourself going direct to dupont?' us: 'affirmative.' ATC: 'you missed it by 7 mi.' at the time our DME showed 5 mi and at station passage showed 4.2 mi at 23000(?)'. The remainder of our flight in this sector was in a somewhat strained atmosphere. Looking back at what I've just written, this is not designed to be an attack on the controller. The tone of voice, etc, coming from the aircraft was less than professional. It seems an attitude developed on both sides of the situation that shouldn't have. Pilots should take advantage of ATC facility familiarizations and controllers should take more cockpit rides. Not just good in conditions, but on the bad days. Cockpit resources management has helped in the aircraft; maybe more personal contact between ATC and pilots would do the same.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW DEVIATION AND LACK OF COMS COURTESY LEADS TO VERBAL AGGRESSION ON PART OF BOTH PIC AND ARTCC RADAR CTLR.
Narrative: OUR FLT HAD ASKED FOR 17000' LOOKING FOR SMOOTH AIR, AND BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO DUPONT. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO A NEW SECTOR AND WERE EXPERIENCING MODERATE TURB. SOON THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE PROCEEDING TO DUPONT. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE WERE AVOIDING WX (I THINK THAT MAYBE THE CTLR DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO DUPONT AND WEREN'T ON THE PUBLISHED RTE BECAUSE OUR DEVIATION WAS A FEW DEGS AND MAYBE 1/4 DOT DEVIATION ON THE HSI). WE WERE TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT TO DUPONT. WE COMPLIED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER WE ASKED FOR A HIGHER ALT AND WERE TOLD SOMETHING LIKE, 'I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH YOU UNTIL YOU GET INTO MY AREA--TURN RIGHT 20 DEGS.' SHORTLY WE WERE GIVEN HIGH AND CLRED DIRECT TO DUPONT. SOON WE WERE ASKED, '(CALL SIGN), DO YOU SHOW YOURSELF GOING DIRECT TO DUPONT?' US: 'AFFIRMATIVE.' ATC: 'YOU MISSED IT BY 7 MI.' AT THE TIME OUR DME SHOWED 5 MI AND AT STATION PASSAGE SHOWED 4.2 MI AT 23000(?)'. THE REMAINDER OF OUR FLT IN THIS SECTOR WAS IN A SOMEWHAT STRAINED ATMOSPHERE. LOOKING BACK AT WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN, THIS IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE AN ATTACK ON THE CTLR. THE TONE OF VOICE, ETC, COMING FROM THE ACFT WAS LESS THAN PROFESSIONAL. IT SEEMS AN ATTITUDE DEVELOPED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SITUATION THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE. PLTS SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ATC FAC FAMILIARIZATIONS AND CTLRS SHOULD TAKE MORE COCKPIT RIDES. NOT JUST GOOD IN CONDITIONS, BUT ON THE BAD DAYS. COCKPIT RESOURCES MGMNT HAS HELPED IN THE ACFT; MAYBE MORE PERSONAL CONTACT BTWN ATC AND PLTS WOULD DO THE SAME.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.