Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude.

Attributes
ACN	147561
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15600 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	147561
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	147743
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared for bsr 5 profile descent in the vicinity of bsr. Company policy is to put each crossing restriction in altitude alert (in this case anjee at or above 16000'). I left center frequency during descent for the purpose of making a passenger announcement to the passenger and alert F/a's to begin arrival preparation. During this period the first officer received a new clearance limit to maintain 16000'. Moments after I returned to monitor center frequency, the first officer left center frequency to call company and advise of our arrival time and to receive gate assignment information. Upon crossing anjee at 16000' I reset altitude alert for 10000' at skunk intersection and started descent at approximately 15600'. Center cleared us for profile descent again which caused much confusion. We were told there was no problem by center. Yet, in discussing this with other pilots this seems to be a common problem. I would be interested in seeing if in fact it is a problem. Supplemental information from acn 147743: at about 20000' the new controller cleared us to 16000' but said nothing about profile. I assumed we were still cleared for the profile descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: CLRED FOR BSR 5 PROFILE DSNT IN THE VICINITY OF BSR. COMPANY POLICY IS TO PUT EACH XING RESTRICTION IN ALT ALERT (IN THIS CASE ANJEE AT OR ABOVE 16000'). I LEFT CENTER FREQ DURING DSNT FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX AND ALERT F/A'S TO BEGIN ARR PREPARATION. DURING THIS PERIOD THE F/O RECEIVED A NEW CLRNC LIMIT TO MAINTAIN 16000'. MOMENTS AFTER I RETURNED TO MONITOR CENTER FREQ, THE F/O LEFT CENTER FREQ TO CALL COMPANY AND ADVISE OF OUR ARR TIME AND TO RECEIVE GATE ASSIGNMENT INFO. UPON XING ANJEE AT 16000' I RESET ALT ALERT FOR 10000' AT SKUNK INTXN AND STARTED DSNT AT APPROX 15600'. CENTER CLRED US FOR PROFILE DSNT AGAIN WHICH CAUSED MUCH CONFUSION. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO PROB BY CENTER. YET, IN DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER PLTS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROB. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF IN FACT IT IS A PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 147743: AT ABOUT 20000' THE NEW CTLR CLRED US TO 16000' BUT SAID NOTHING ABOUT PROFILE. I ASSUMED WE WERE STILL CLRED FOR THE PROFILE DSNT.

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.