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Flight crew of a B737-300 overshot descent altitude on a STAR arrival route due to a misunderstanding of the actual clearance and the method used in setting the flight director in the speed descent mode.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 335710 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vkz |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zma |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 12000 |
| ASRS Report | 335710 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ATC cleared us for a descent on a heading direct to dubbl intersection on the 3 arrival to fll. The clearance was to cross dubbl at or above 11000 ft and cross marlin at 7000 ft. I, PF, thought I understood the clearance as cross dubbl at 11000 ft and marlin at 7000 ft. As we approached dubbl and approximately 2 mi prior to the intersection the aircraft descended through 11000 ft and then the first officer said, 'where are you going?' I stopped descent, climbed back to 11000 ft and then it was time to descend to 7000 ft. ZMA did not question the busted altitude. We also had a FAA air carrier inspector on our jump seat which raised the anxiety level considerably. After landing, all 3 of us discussed the incident. I believe I should have questioned the clearance and also not used speed descent mode even though ATC wanted us to keep the speed up.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A B737-300 OVERSHOT DSCNT ALT ON A STAR ARR RTE DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ACTUAL CLRNC AND THE METHOD USED IN SETTING THE FLT DIRECTOR IN THE SPD DSCNT MODE.
Narrative: ATC CLRED US FOR A DSCNT ON A HDG DIRECT TO DUBBL INTXN ON THE 3 ARR TO FLL. THE CLRNC WAS TO CROSS DUBBL AT OR ABOVE 11000 FT AND CROSS MARLIN AT 7000 FT. I, PF, THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AS CROSS DUBBL AT 11000 FT AND MARLIN AT 7000 FT. AS WE APCHED DUBBL AND APPROX 2 MI PRIOR TO THE INTXN THE ACFT DSNDED THROUGH 11000 FT AND THEN THE FO SAID, 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' I STOPPED DSCNT, CLBED BACK TO 11000 FT AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO DSND TO 7000 FT. ZMA DID NOT QUESTION THE BUSTED ALT. WE ALSO HAD A FAA ACR INSPECTOR ON OUR JUMP SEAT WHICH RAISED THE ANXIETY LEVEL CONSIDERABLY. AFTER LNDG, ALL 3 OF US DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CLRNC AND ALSO NOT USED SPD DSCNT MODE EVEN THOUGH ATC WANTED US TO KEEP THE SPD UP.
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.