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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Miscom between ATC facilities on altitude assignment. Reporter was assigned 6000 ft, pilot's discretion, and when contacting center read back the altitude clearance. When reaching the holding fix, reporter was queried by center about his altitude. And when he reported 6200 ft for 6000 ft, they said his clearance was only to 7000 ft. Reporter believes the heavy traffic overwhelmed ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 330490 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : eat |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zse |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2350 flight time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 330490 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure other |
Narrative:
Approximately 20 DME east of eph VOR on V-120. I requested and received from grant county approach 'direct eph VOR to crumm intersection for the VOR-a approach at eat with a pilot's discretion to 6000 ft MSL.' proceeding outbound on the 234 degree radial from eph to crumm intersection for the VOR-a at eat I checked on with ZSE, 'level 8000 ft with a pilot's discretion to 6000 ft.' shortly thereafter I reported out of '8000 ft for 6000 ft' and ZSE acknowledged. Then ZSE gave me holding instructions. Contributing factors: the holding instructions were: 'hold southeast at crumm intersection on the inbound radial for the VOR-a approach at 6000 ft.' I read back: 'cleared to hold southeast on the 105 degree radial at crumm intersection at 6000 ft.' during the controller's holding instructions she seemed a little unclr of the clearance she was giving with long pauses in between words. Also at this time there were several other aircraft converging upon crumm intersection to hold and one aircraft departing (eat) wenatchee airport outbound on the 113 degree radial. How it was discovered: upon reaching crumm intersection ATC asked me what altitude I was at. I reported '6200 ft for 6000 ft.' ATC then told me that I was supposed to 'maintain 7000 ft.' I then replied back that 'I received 6000 ft in my last clearance and that I also reported to ATC out 8000 ft for 6000 ft.' ATC did not reply. Corrective action: there was no corrective action made. I stayed at 6000 ft and was cleared for the VOR-a approach shortly thereafter. I'm certain that due to ATC's seemingly uncertain holding instructions that were given and the amount of traffic converging upon crumm intersection to hold, ATC was overwhelmed at the time and there was a breakdown in the communication process.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MISCOM BTWN ATC FACILITIES ON ALT ASSIGNMENT. RPTR WAS ASSIGNED 6000 FT, PLT'S DISCRETION, AND WHEN CONTACTING CTR READ BACK THE ALT CLRNC. WHEN REACHING THE HOLDING FIX, RPTR WAS QUERIED BY CTR ABOUT HIS ALT. AND WHEN HE RPTED 6200 FT FOR 6000 FT, THEY SAID HIS CLRNC WAS ONLY TO 7000 FT. RPTR BELIEVES THE HVY TFC OVERWHELMED ATC.
Narrative: APPROX 20 DME E OF EPH VOR ON V-120. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM GRANT COUNTY APCH 'DIRECT EPH VOR TO CRUMM INTXN FOR THE VOR-A APCH AT EAT WITH A PLT'S DISCRETION TO 6000 FT MSL.' PROCEEDING OUTBOUND ON THE 234 DEG RADIAL FROM EPH TO CRUMM INTXN FOR THE VOR-A AT EAT I CHKED ON WITH ZSE, 'LEVEL 8000 FT WITH A PLT'S DISCRETION TO 6000 FT.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER I RPTED OUT OF '8000 FT FOR 6000 FT' AND ZSE ACKNOWLEDGED. THEN ZSE GAVE ME HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WERE: 'HOLD SE AT CRUMM INTXN ON THE INBOUND RADIAL FOR THE VOR-A APCH AT 6000 FT.' I READ BACK: 'CLRED TO HOLD SE ON THE 105 DEG RADIAL AT CRUMM INTXN AT 6000 FT.' DURING THE CTLR'S HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS SHE SEEMED A LITTLE UNCLR OF THE CLRNC SHE WAS GIVING WITH LONG PAUSES IN BTWN WORDS. ALSO AT THIS TIME THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER ACFT CONVERGING UPON CRUMM INTXN TO HOLD AND ONE ACFT DEPARTING (EAT) WENATCHEE ARPT OUTBOUND ON THE 113 DEG RADIAL. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: UPON REACHING CRUMM INTXN ATC ASKED ME WHAT ALT I WAS AT. I RPTED '6200 FT FOR 6000 FT.' ATC THEN TOLD ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO 'MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' I THEN REPLIED BACK THAT 'I RECEIVED 6000 FT IN MY LAST CLRNC AND THAT I ALSO RPTED TO ATC OUT 8000 FT FOR 6000 FT.' ATC DID NOT REPLY. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THERE WAS NO CORRECTIVE ACTION MADE. I STAYED AT 6000 FT AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VOR-A APCH SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I'M CERTAIN THAT DUE TO ATC'S SEEMINGLY UNCERTAIN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN AND THE AMOUNT OF TFC CONVERGING UPON CRUMM INTXN TO HOLD, ATC WAS OVERWHELMED AT THE TIME AND THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN THE COM PROCESS.
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.