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Foreign air carrier X unauthorized descent to occupied altitude had less than standard separation from military P3. Pilot deviation. System error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 295525 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199502 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : aew |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Orion (P3) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 295525 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 25200 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Bimini high was working air carrier X into miami. The controller stopped the aircraft's descent at FL260 for traffic at FL250. Bimini low accepted the handoff from high. Bimini high was having frequency problems, like xmissions not being responded to. The aircraft was found on bimini low after a radio check. I said, 'X maintain FL260, expect lower after passing traffic, traffic 10 O'clock 15 mi northbound. P3 at FL250.' I heard, 'roger, X 250.' the tape recorded, 'roger, X, maintaining FL250.' I wrongfully assumed the pilot was rogering the traffic at 250. I noticed the incorrect altitude and issued a vector to avoid the traffic. Separation between the 2 aircraft was 4.2 mi and zero ft. In area 4 at ZMA we have had a constant problem with the language barrier with foreign pilots. I feel that this incident would have not occurred if strict regulations were in place to ensure comprehension of the air traffic universal language.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FOREIGN ACR X UNAUTH DSCNT TO OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM MIL P3. PLTDEV. SYS ERROR.
Narrative: BIMINI HIGH WAS WORKING ACR X INTO MIAMI. THE CTLR STOPPED THE ACFT'S DSCNT AT FL260 FOR TFC AT FL250. BIMINI LOW ACCEPTED THE HDOF FROM HIGH. BIMINI HIGH WAS HAVING FREQ PROBS, LIKE XMISSIONS NOT BEING RESPONDED TO. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON BIMINI LOW AFTER A RADIO CHK. I SAID, 'X MAINTAIN FL260, EXPECT LOWER AFTER PASSING TFC, TFC 10 O'CLOCK 15 MI NBOUND. P3 AT FL250.' I HEARD, 'ROGER, X 250.' THE TAPE RECORDED, 'ROGER, X, MAINTAINING FL250.' I WRONGFULLY ASSUMED THE PLT WAS ROGERING THE TFC AT 250. I NOTICED THE INCORRECT ALT AND ISSUED A VECTOR TO AVOID THE TFC. SEPARATION BTWN THE 2 ACFT WAS 4.2 MI AND ZERO FT. IN AREA 4 AT ZMA WE HAVE HAD A CONSTANT PROB WITH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WITH FOREIGN PLTS. I FEEL THAT THIS INCIDENT WOULD HAVE NOT OCCURRED IF STRICT REGS WERE IN PLACE TO ENSURE COMPREHENSION OF THE AIR TFC UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.
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.