<< >> NASA ASRS Report 294440, January 1995

Confusion in altitude assignment.

Attributes
ACN	294440
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : cps
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	294440
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	293479
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb out out of bwi, clearance was received to climb to 8000 ft on 080 degree heading. After leveling at 8000 ft, clearance to again climb was received. Controller hesitated after receiving readback from first officer and was asked what the problem was. His response indicated he believed he had only cleared us to 7000 ft, not 8000 ft but that it was no problem. Flight to bdl continued with no further difficulties. I believe the controller simply momentarily forgot what altitude he had cleared us to. Traffic was called 'above' us by at least 1000 ft when we were level at 8000 ft so the clearance to 8000 ft provided adequate clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION IN ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OUT OF BWI, CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO CLB TO 8000 FT ON 080 DEG HDG. AFTER LEVELING AT 8000 FT, CLRNC TO AGAIN CLB WAS RECEIVED. CTLR HESITATED AFTER RECEIVING READBACK FROM FO AND WAS ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS. HIS RESPONSE INDICATED HE BELIEVED HE HAD ONLY CLRED US TO 7000 FT, NOT 8000 FT BUT THAT IT WAS NO PROB. FLT TO BDL CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. I BELIEVE THE CTLR SIMPLY MOMENTARILY FORGOT WHAT ALT HE HAD CLRED US TO. TFC WAS CALLED 'ABOVE' US BY AT LEAST 1000 FT WHEN WE WERE LEVEL AT 8000 FT SO THE CLRNC TO 8000 FT PROVIDED ADEQUATE CLRNC.

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.