Uncoord penetration of airspace. Operational deviation. Altitude assignment problem.

Attributes
ACN	173848
Time
Date	199103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw tracon : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	173848
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

2 aircraft on frequency at ZBW pvd sector 34. Cleared air carrier X to cross pvd at 11000' and 250 KTS. Pilot read back 10000' and was corrected. The pilot of air carrier X then proceeded to play trivial pursuit, and asked some question. The second aircraft (air carrier Y) was then cleared to cross pvd at 11000' and 250 KTS. He read back 10000' and was not caught by controller. Aircraft descended to 10000' and was pointed out to ocean approach. Had air carrier X not disrupted the sector with this game, the faulty readback would have been caught. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says FAA did process as operational deviation. Tapes reveal that he clearly said, '1-1-thousand' to both air carrier. Both read back '10-thousand,' and he only caught the error on the first aircraft. I suggested that perhaps he might try giving those altitudes in both digital and group form. He said that since the incident, the facility has started a test program which requires all controllers to state those 2 altitudes in both digital and group form. I asked reporter to advise me later as to test results and he said he would do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCOORD PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION. ALT ASSIGNMENT PROBLEM.

Narrative: 2 ACFT ON FREQ AT ZBW PVD SECTOR 34. CLRED ACR X TO CROSS PVD AT 11000' AND 250 KTS. PLT READ BACK 10000' AND WAS CORRECTED. THE PLT OF ACR X THEN PROCEEDED TO PLAY TRIVIAL PURSUIT, AND ASKED SOME QUESTION. THE SECOND ACFT (ACR Y) WAS THEN CLRED TO CROSS PVD AT 11000' AND 250 KTS. HE READ BACK 10000' AND WAS NOT CAUGHT BY CTLR. ACFT DSNDED TO 10000' AND WAS POINTED OUT TO OCEAN APCH. HAD ACR X NOT DISRUPTED THE SECTOR WITH THIS GAME, THE FAULTY READBACK WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS FAA DID PROCESS AS OPERATIONAL DEVIATION. TAPES REVEAL THAT HE CLEARLY SAID, '1-1-THOUSAND' TO BOTH ACR. BOTH READ BACK '10-THOUSAND,' AND HE ONLY CAUGHT THE ERROR ON THE FIRST ACFT. I SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS HE MIGHT TRY GIVING THOSE ALTS IN BOTH DIGITAL AND GROUP FORM. HE SAID THAT SINCE THE INCIDENT, THE FAC HAS STARTED A TEST PROGRAM WHICH REQUIRES ALL CTLRS TO STATE THOSE 2 ALTS IN BOTH DIGITAL AND GROUP FORM. I ASKED RPTR TO ADVISE ME LATER AS TO TEST RESULTS AND HE SAID HE WOULD DO SO.

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.