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Altitude deviation altitude excursion. Air carrier crew starts a descent after being cleared for the arrival. Wrong.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 299248 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199503 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : che airport : den |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 26 |
| ASRS Report | 299248 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| 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:
I was the PNF and we were cleared for the tomsn 1 arrival into the new denver international airport. The captain had me clarify with ATC that we were indeed cleared for the arrival. I called ZDV and they stated that we were cleared for the arrival. The captain started an immediate descent in order to cross tomsn at 17000 ft as the STAR indicates. I thought it odd as I know that the altitudes listed are for planning purposes only and not meant to begin dscnts unless cleared. I thought the captain knew what he was doing and that maybe this was some new procedure for the new airport. As we passed approximately 28000 ft MSL, center asked us for our altitude. I stated that we were at 28000 ft and they said they had not cleared us to descend. They said to leveloff at 28000 ft and then cleared us to descend to 17000 ft. The captain was confused as to his actual clearance and I should've questioned his decision to descend. I was a new pilot to the part 121 environment, with a new airline flying into a new airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION. ACR CREW STARTS A DSCNT AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE ARR. WRONG.
Narrative: I WAS THE PNF AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE TOMSN 1 ARR INTO THE NEW DENVER INTL ARPT. THE CAPT HAD ME CLARIFY WITH ATC THAT WE WERE INDEED CLRED FOR THE ARR. I CALLED ZDV AND THEY STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ARR. THE CAPT STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT IN ORDER TO CROSS TOMSN AT 17000 FT AS THE STAR INDICATES. I THOUGHT IT ODD AS I KNOW THAT THE ALTS LISTED ARE FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT MEANT TO BEGIN DSCNTS UNLESS CLRED. I THOUGHT THE CAPT KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING AND THAT MAYBE THIS WAS SOME NEW PROC FOR THE NEW ARPT. AS WE PASSED APPROX 28000 FT MSL, CTR ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. I STATED THAT WE WERE AT 28000 FT AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT CLRED US TO DSND. THEY SAID TO LEVELOFF AT 28000 FT AND THEN CLRED US TO DSND TO 17000 FT. THE CAPT WAS CONFUSED AS TO HIS ACTUAL CLRNC AND I SHOULD'VE QUESTIONED HIS DECISION TO DSND. I WAS A NEW PLT TO THE PART 121 ENVIRONMENT, WITH A NEW AIRLINE FLYING INTO A NEW ARPT.
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.