ATC handling in approach controller technique communication ATC creates a flight crew workload probl...

Attributes
ACN	244851
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4300 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	244851
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	244854
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On downwind leg south of the field, we were cleared from 7000 ft to 3500 ft. We were on a 270 degree heading and told to expect 9R. We were expediting our descent for a short approach. We were given a 360 degree heading for a base leg and simultaneously told to now expect runway 8L. This required us to cross final for 9R which had an aircraft established on final at 3500 ft. Time was very compressed at this point and changes were numerous. We were aware of the final approach traffic due to our onboard TCASII. The TCASII aided us in acquiring the traffic and subsequently gave us a TA. With us expediting our descent for a short approach and passing 4500 ft for 3500 ft our altitude clearance was changed from 3500 ft to 4500 ft. A level off was initiated immediately. Our momentum in the descent caused us to descend a couple hundred ft below 4500 ft prior to level off and we quickly returned to 4500 ft. As stated earlier, we did receive a TCASII TA but never received an RA. Subsequent approach and landing were uneventful. Contributing factors: WX in region requiring inbound and outbound traffic to deviate -- possibly causing a last min runway change. Last min runway change coupled with numerous instructions. Time compression minimizing communication. TCASII was instrumental in breaking the chain. It aided us in acquiring a visual on the traffic. Supplemental information from acn 244854: approach asked if we were passing 4500 ft. We said that we were cleared to 3500 ft. He said we were cleared to 4500 ft. Supplemental information from acn 244985: neither the copilot or I heard any new altitude change and never set in a new altitude on the alerter. As we crossed the centerline for 9R, we saw an light transport on final for 9R at 3500 ft. We got an alert on the TCASII as we were descending out of 4200 ft. We stopped our descent and the controller called and said to maintain 4500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC HANDLING IN APCH CTLR TECHNIQUE COM ATC CREATES A FLC WORKLOAD PROB IN A LAST MIN RWY ASSIGNMENT. TCASII TA STOPS ACFT FROM DSCNT NEAR BUT NOT IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER APCH TFC.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND LEG S OF THE FIELD, WE WERE CLRED FROM 7000 FT TO 3500 FT. WE WERE ON A 270 DEG HDG AND TOLD TO EXPECT 9R. WE WERE EXPEDITING OUR DSCNT FOR A SHORT APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A 360 DEG HDG FOR A BASE LEG AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TOLD TO NOW EXPECT RWY 8L. THIS REQUIRED US TO CROSS FINAL FOR 9R WHICH HAD AN ACFT ESTABLISHED ON FINAL AT 3500 FT. TIME WAS VERY COMPRESSED AT THIS POINT AND CHANGES WERE NUMEROUS. WE WERE AWARE OF THE FINAL APCH TFC DUE TO OUR ONBOARD TCASII. THE TCASII AIDED US IN ACQUIRING THE TFC AND SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE US A TA. WITH US EXPEDITING OUR DSCNT FOR A SHORT APCH AND PASSING 4500 FT FOR 3500 FT OUR ALT CLRNC WAS CHANGED FROM 3500 FT TO 4500 FT. A LEVEL OFF WAS INITIATED IMMEDIATELY. OUR MOMENTUM IN THE DSCNT CAUSED US TO DSND A COUPLE HUNDRED FT BELOW 4500 FT PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF AND WE QUICKLY RETURNED TO 4500 FT. AS STATED EARLIER, WE DID RECEIVE A TCASII TA BUT NEVER RECEIVED AN RA. SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WX IN REGION REQUIRING INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TFC TO DEVIATE -- POSSIBLY CAUSING A LAST MIN RWY CHANGE. LAST MIN RWY CHANGE COUPLED WITH NUMEROUS INSTRUCTIONS. TIME COMPRESSION MINIMIZING COM. TCASII WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BREAKING THE CHAIN. IT AIDED US IN ACQUIRING A VISUAL ON THE TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 244854: APCH ASKED IF WE WERE PASSING 4500 FT. WE SAID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 3500 FT. HE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 4500 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 244985: NEITHER THE COPLT OR I HEARD ANY NEW ALT CHANGE AND NEVER SET IN A NEW ALT ON THE ALERTER. AS WE CROSSED THE CTRLINE FOR 9R, WE SAW AN LTT ON FINAL FOR 9R AT 3500 FT. WE GOT AN ALERT ON THE TCASII AS WE WERE DSNDING OUT OF 4200 FT. WE STOPPED OUR DSCNT AND THE CTLR CALLED AND SAID TO MAINTAIN 4500 FT.

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.

ATC handling in approach controller technique communication ATC creates a flight crew workload problem in a last min runway assignment. TCASII TA stops aircraft from descent near but not in conflict with other approach traffic.