<< >> NASA ASRS Report 323251, December 1995

Rptrs failed to comply with altitude assignment. The TRACON workload was high, the frequency was congested. The reporter heard and read back and descended to 4000 ft, while the TRACON intended the rptrs to descend only to 6000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	323251
Time
Date	199512
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fll
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	323251
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	323550
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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	other

Narrative:

Fll approach was very busy and the controller gave us a rushed clearance: at wisci (which is on the mrlin 3 arrival, fll) turn heading 270 degrees, 210 KT speed, descend 6000 ft. In our haste to comply we read back 4000 ft and then proceeded to do so. A few mins later the controller asked our assigned altitude to which we said 4000 ft. He then said we must have got someone else's clearance. We thought 4000 ft was our altitude because we read it back that way, however, there was a lot of confusion on the frequency which led us to the wrong altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTRS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ALT ASSIGNMENT. THE TRACON WORKLOAD WAS HIGH, THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED. THE RPTR HEARD AND READ BACK AND DSNDED TO 4000 FT, WHILE THE TRACON INTENDED THE RPTRS TO DSND ONLY TO 6000 FT.

Narrative: FLL APCH WAS VERY BUSY AND THE CTLR GAVE US A RUSHED CLRNC: AT WISCI (WHICH IS ON THE MRLIN 3 ARR, FLL) TURN HDG 270 DEGS, 210 KT SPD, DSND 6000 FT. IN OUR HASTE TO COMPLY WE READ BACK 4000 FT AND THEN PROCEEDED TO DO SO. A FEW MINS LATER THE CTLR ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT TO WHICH WE SAID 4000 FT. HE THEN SAID WE MUST HAVE GOT SOMEONE ELSE'S CLRNC. WE THOUGHT 4000 FT WAS OUR ALT BECAUSE WE READ IT BACK THAT WAY, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION ON THE FREQ WHICH LED US TO THE WRONG ALT.

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.