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Flight crew of an air carrier large transport aircraft failed to level off during descent at the altitude requested by ATC due to a misunderstanding of the controller's request.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 241275 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199305 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bur |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bur |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 241275 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on a descent to burbank, ca. We were cleared from 10000 ft to 7000 ft. We started our descent (I was PNF) out of 9500 ft. ATC said to hurry up and level off. I acknowledged by repeating the statement. I understood the request by ATC as expedite to 7000 ft and evidently the captain did as well. I then saw a light plane close off our right side and below us. I then realized ATC must have intended for us to level off at the altitude we were at that moment. The light plane was reported at 7300 ft. We had the other traffic visually. ATC could have communicated a more clear request and he should have caught my acknowledgement.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN ACR LGT ACFT FAILED TO LEVEL OFF DURING DSCNT AT THE ALT REQUESTED BY ATC DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CTLR'S REQUEST.
Narrative: WHILE ON A DSCNT TO BURBANK, CA. WE WERE CLRED FROM 10000 FT TO 7000 FT. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT (I WAS PNF) OUT OF 9500 FT. ATC SAID TO HURRY UP AND LEVEL OFF. I ACKNOWLEDGED BY REPEATING THE STATEMENT. I UNDERSTOOD THE REQUEST BY ATC AS EXPEDITE TO 7000 FT AND EVIDENTLY THE CAPT DID AS WELL. I THEN SAW A LIGHT PLANE CLOSE OFF OUR R SIDE AND BELOW US. I THEN REALIZED ATC MUST HAVE INTENDED FOR US TO LEVEL OFF AT THE ALT WE WERE AT THAT MOMENT. THE LIGHT PLANE WAS RPTED AT 7300 FT. WE HAD THE OTHER TFC VISUALLY. ATC COULD HAVE COMMUNICATED A MORE CLR REQUEST AND HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
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.