37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1654249 |
Time | |
Date | 201906 |
Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ABQ.Airport |
State Reference | NM |
Environment | |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | Initial Climb |
Route In Use | SID MNZNO3 |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Function | Enroute Departure |
Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 0.2 |
Person 2 | |
Function | Pilot Flying |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Undershoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT |
Narrative:
Aircraft X departed abq on the RNAV departure. They were cleared to climb via the SID to top altitude of 20000 feet via pre departure clearance/cpdlc before departure. This procedure has only been implemented for around a month. Before that aircraft climbed via to a lower altitude and were cleared to climb once they were radar identified. I was working departure control at the time and when they checked on frequency the pilot stated on the SID. I stated radar contact but gave no amendment to their clearance. I observed that aircraft X was following the SID track and had met the first altitude restriction. I moved on to other tasks. At the time 2 aircraft had very similar call signs (same flight numbers but different companies). One of those two aircraft had been holding in the airspace due to a pressurization issue that was making him return to abq after departing. A few other small issues were drawing my attention as well; but no aircraft were near aircraft X. Moments later the pilot of aircraft X asked for higher. They had leveled the aircraft at 10000 feet and were entering a minimum vectoring altitude (MVA) of 11200 feet. They had already missed a crossing restriction of at or above 11500 feet. I told the pilot they were cleared to climb via to top altitude. I un-keyed; the pilot said roger; then I keyed back up stating 'you are entering a higher MVA; climb to FL200 and expedite through 12000.' I informed my supervisor about the situation at this time. After the aircraft was leaving 12000 feet; I asked if the pilot had been restricted lower at any point. The pilot stated they had not been. The supervisor had been processing the report for the aircraft with pressurization problems and had not noticed the situation. He later made the decision to have center issue a brasher warning to the pilot for a possible pilot deviation. The MSAW (minimum safe altitude warning) never went off and I never issued a low altitude alert. In total I believe aircraft X was in the 11200 foot MVA for about 4 miles before climbing through 11200 feet. I will be more vigilant in scanning to see departures have met the at or above 11500 foot crossing restriction on the SID. If a similar situation happens again I will be quicker to issue a low altitude alert regardless of whether the MSAW sounds. Other than that I do not plan on changing anything as this is a pilot or plane based automation error not a controller based one.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A Pilot and Controller reported the pilot did not comply with crossing restrictions and flew below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.
Narrative: Aircraft X departed ABQ on the RNAV Departure. They were cleared to climb via the SID to top altitude of 20000 feet via PDC/CPDLC before departure. This procedure has only been implemented for around a month. Before that aircraft climbed via to a lower altitude and were cleared to climb once they were radar identified. I was working Departure Control at the time and when they checked on frequency the pilot stated on the SID. I stated Radar Contact but gave no amendment to their clearance. I observed that Aircraft X was following the SID track and had met the first altitude restriction. I moved on to other tasks. At the time 2 aircraft had very similar call signs (same flight numbers but different companies). One of those two aircraft had been holding in the airspace due to a pressurization issue that was making him return to ABQ after departing. A few other small issues were drawing my attention as well; but no aircraft were near Aircraft X. Moments later the pilot of Aircraft X asked for higher. They had leveled the aircraft at 10000 feet and were entering a Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) of 11200 feet. They had already missed a crossing restriction of at or above 11500 feet. I told the pilot they were cleared to climb via to top altitude. I un-keyed; the pilot said roger; then I keyed back up stating 'You are entering a higher MVA; climb to FL200 and expedite through 12000.' I informed my supervisor about the situation at this time. After the aircraft was leaving 12000 feet; I asked if the pilot had been restricted lower at any point. The pilot stated they had not been. The supervisor had been processing the report for the aircraft with pressurization problems and had not noticed the situation. He later made the decision to have Center issue a Brasher warning to the pilot for a possible pilot deviation. The MSAW (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning) never went off and I never issued a low altitude alert. In total I believe Aircraft X was in the 11200 foot MVA for about 4 miles before climbing through 11200 feet. I will be more vigilant in scanning to see departures have met the at or above 11500 foot crossing restriction on the SID. If a similar situation happens again I will be quicker to issue a low altitude alert regardless of whether the MSAW sounds. Other than that I do not plan on changing anything as this is a pilot or plane based automation error not a controller based one.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.