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Flight crew of a lear jet overshot altitude during descent and failed to turn to a newly assigned heading.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 296880 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199502 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sus |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22500 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 296880 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The problem arose when ZKC cleared learjet to FL240. The first officer read back the clearance and set FL240 in the altitude alert window. I started the descent out of the low FL300 at around 52 NM form sus airport, center asked if X could make a crossing restr of 5000 ft, 30 NM from sus. I instructed the first officer to tell ATC we were unable to make crossing restr. A few moments elapsed and I instructed first officer to contact ATC to let them know we would try to make 5000 ft, 30 NM crossing restr. The first officer tried several times to contact ATC, but radio frequency congestion had occurred. After first officer attempts, I raised the microphone and tried to contact ATC myself. At some time during the frequency congestion we were given a right turn to a heading of 140 degrees from an assigned heading of 360 degrees. (I learned of the 140 degree heading change from mr X of ZKC after he telephoned me once I was on the ground at sus). The first officer may or may not have read back the heading change, but I was unaware of the new heading assignment and maintained a 360 degree heading. During this period, the aircraft was descending as I was still trying to contact ATC to inform them that we would continue descent to 5000 ft. When I finally raised ATC the aircraft had descended to 22500 ft. I noticed the altitude and asked ATC if we were cleared below FL240, his reply was negative you were cleared to FL240. The controller replied immediately after that descend and maintain FL180 - or - FL190 and turn 10 degrees or 20 degrees left, I complied. Soon after, we were handed off to st louis approach. Descend as cleared by st louis approach to below 18000 ft and canceled IFR. I believe the reason for this occurrence was: break down of communication between flight crew. Misunderstanding of ATC last clearance and radio frequency congestion at a crucial time. In order to prevent a recurrence, we will practice better communication and crew coordination, so this misunderstanding shall not happen again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A LEAR JET OVERSHOT ALT DURING DSCNT AND FAILED TO TURN TO A NEWLY ASSIGNED HDG.
Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN ZKC CLRED LEARJET TO FL240. THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC AND SET FL240 IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. I STARTED THE DSCNT OUT OF THE LOW FL300 AT AROUND 52 NM FORM SUS ARPT, CTR ASKED IF X COULD MAKE A XING RESTR OF 5000 FT, 30 NM FROM SUS. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO TELL ATC WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE XING RESTR. A FEW MOMENTS ELAPSED AND I INSTRUCTED FO TO CONTACT ATC TO LET THEM KNOW WE WOULD TRY TO MAKE 5000 FT, 30 NM XING RESTR. THE FO TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT ATC, BUT RADIO FREQ CONGESTION HAD OCCURRED. AFTER FO ATTEMPTS, I RAISED THE MIKE AND TRIED TO CONTACT ATC MYSELF. AT SOME TIME DURING THE FREQ CONGESTION WE WERE GIVEN A R TURN TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS FROM AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 360 DEGS. (I LEARNED OF THE 140 DEG HDG CHANGE FROM MR X OF ZKC AFTER HE TELEPHONED ME ONCE I WAS ON THE GND AT SUS). THE FO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE READ BACK THE HDG CHANGE, BUT I WAS UNAWARE OF THE NEW HDG ASSIGNMENT AND MAINTAINED A 360 DEG HDG. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE ACFT WAS DSNDING AS I WAS STILL TRYING TO CONTACT ATC TO INFORM THEM THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE DSCNT TO 5000 FT. WHEN I FINALLY RAISED ATC THE ACFT HAD DSNDED TO 22500 FT. I NOTICED THE ALT AND ASKED ATC IF WE WERE CLRED BELOW FL240, HIS REPLY WAS NEGATIVE YOU WERE CLRED TO FL240. THE CTLR REPLIED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT DSND AND MAINTAIN FL180 - OR - FL190 AND TURN 10 DEGS OR 20 DEGS L, I COMPLIED. SOON AFTER, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ST LOUIS APCH. DSND AS CLRED BY ST LOUIS APCH TO BELOW 18000 FT AND CANCELED IFR. I BELIEVE THE REASON FOR THIS OCCURRENCE WAS: BREAK DOWN OF COM BTWN FLC. MISUNDERSTANDING OF ATC LAST CLRNC AND RADIO FREQ CONGESTION AT A CRUCIAL TIME. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, WE WILL PRACTICE BETTER COM AND CREW COORD, SO THIS MISUNDERSTANDING SHALL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
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.