Air carrier X descent to wrong altitude. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	258128
Time
Date	199312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : esl
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : iad
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	controller military : 10 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 7 flight time total : 600
ASRS Report	258128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Air carrier X descended into dca, normal crossing was 15000 ft at druzz. Aircraft was inadvertently descended to 11000 ft. Dulles approach requested 10 mi in trail and they received that. They still required me to give that aircraft a 360 degree turn. The airspace is very cramped and they also required me to climb that aircraft back up to 15000 ft, when in fact they would again descend that aircraft after about 10 mi. They do this quite often -- even when they get the required spacing. In my opinion the dulles approach control facility is somewhat unsafe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSCNT TO WRONG ALT. OPDEV.

Narrative: ACR X DSNDED INTO DCA, NORMAL XING WAS 15000 FT AT DRUZZ. ACFT WAS INADVERTENTLY DSNDED TO 11000 FT. DULLES APCH REQUESTED 10 MI IN TRAIL AND THEY RECEIVED THAT. THEY STILL REQUIRED ME TO GIVE THAT ACFT A 360 DEG TURN. THE AIRSPACE IS VERY CRAMPED AND THEY ALSO REQUIRED ME TO CLB THAT ACFT BACK UP TO 15000 FT, WHEN IN FACT THEY WOULD AGAIN DSND THAT ACFT AFTER ABOUT 10 MI. THEY DO THIS QUITE OFTEN -- EVEN WHEN THEY GET THE REQUIRED SPACING. IN MY OPINION THE DULLES APCH CTL FACILITY IS SOMEWHAT UNSAFE.

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.