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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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This large transport crew was either involved in an operational error or the crew flew through their assigned altitude causing less than standard separation. No further conflict occurred. All 3 crew men thought that they were assigned FL210 vice the controllers claim of FL250. TCASII commanded a descent that the aircrew followed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 209814 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fra |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : eddu |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : eddu |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 140 |
| ASRS Report | 209814 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 3000 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying as the relief pilot on flight a, bombay to frankfurt, germany. We received clearance to cross alb VOR at FL250. The first officer initiated the descent. During the descent a flight attendant entered the cockpit to deliver some paperwork. Just after the flight attendant departed, I heard 'traffic, traffic' on TCASII. I observed traffic on the radar scope at approximately the 10:30 position, 3 mi, and 1400 ft below our altitude. I stated 'the traffic is 1400 ft below us.' shortly thereafter, TCASII warned, 'monitor vertical speed, climb crossing climb.' at that point, I began calling out the altitude separation at 800 ft. When we got to 400 ft separation, we visually acquired the traffic which presented a definite conflict. The captain directed the first officer to increase the descent rate. We passed behind the traffic below and behind approximately 1/2 mi. I noticed that we had descended through FL240 and the altitude bug was set at FL210. The captain then asked the controller about the traffic. The controller stated that the traffic was at FL240 and we had been cleared to FL250. The captain asked everyone about our altitude clearance and we all agreed that it was FL210. (I believe we were cleared to FL210, but do not have a clear recollection of this event). The controller subsequently cleared us to FL210.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THIS LGT CREW WAS EITHER INVOLVED IN AN OPERROR OR THE CREW FLEW THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT CAUSING LTSS. NO FURTHER CONFLICT OCCURRED. ALL 3 CREW MEN THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ASSIGNED FL210 VICE THE CTLRS CLAIM OF FL250. TCASII COMMANDED A DSCNT THAT THE AIRCREW FOLLOWED.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS THE RELIEF PLT ON FLT A, BOMBAY TO FRANKFURT, GERMANY. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS ALB VOR AT FL250. THE FO INITIATED THE DSCNT. DURING THE DSCNT A FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO DELIVER SOME PAPERWORK. JUST AFTER THE FLT ATTENDANT DEPARTED, I HEARD 'TFC, TFC' ON TCASII. I OBSERVED TFC ON THE RADAR SCOPE AT APPROX THE 10:30 POS, 3 MI, AND 1400 FT BELOW OUR ALT. I STATED 'THE TFC IS 1400 FT BELOW US.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TCASII WARNED, 'MONITOR VERT SPD, CLB XING CLB.' AT THAT POINT, I BEGAN CALLING OUT THE ALT SEPARATION AT 800 FT. WHEN WE GOT TO 400 FT SEPARATION, WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE TFC WHICH PRESENTED A DEFINITE CONFLICT. THE CAPT DIRECTED THE FO TO INCREASE THE DSCNT RATE. WE PASSED BEHIND THE TFC BELOW AND BEHIND APPROX 1/2 MI. I NOTICED THAT WE HAD DSNDED THROUGH FL240 AND THE ALT BUG WAS SET AT FL210. THE CAPT THEN ASKED THE CTLR ABOUT THE TFC. THE CTLR STATED THAT THE TFC WAS AT FL240 AND WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL250. THE CAPT ASKED EVERYONE ABOUT OUR ALT CLRNC AND WE ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS FL210. (I BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED TO FL210, BUT DO NOT HAVE A CLR RECOLLECTION OF THIS EVENT). THE CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED US TO FL210.
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.