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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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ATC flight crew miscom on altitude clearance. Flight crew had requested an altitude change due to WX and when ATC gave a clearance to climb, the reporter flight crew responded and commenced climb. The controller intervened after they had climbed 1300 ft and told them to descend back to their assigned FL290. Then asked another aircraft what altitude they were at and they were at FL290. Consequently, there was a mix-up in call signs and clrncs. Reporter says the captain of the other aircraft substantiated the altitude misunderstanding.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 343686 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pke |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 343686 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 63 |
| ASRS Report | 343940 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Had requested a change in flight levels or a heading change due to WX en route (thunderstorms). ZLA came back with a clearance to climb and maintain FL330. We (air carrier a, flight xyz) read back the clearance to climb to FL330. At FL303 ZLA informed flight xyz that they needed us at FL290. We immediately descended to FL290. The controller was confused because after we, xyz, had leveled back to FL290, he had asked air carrier B xzz if they were level at FL330. Xzz flight had responded that they were level at FL290! At that point the ZLA controller issued him a clearance to climb to FL330. Xzz had never began a climb because they knew we, xyz, had requested the climb, received the clearance and then we once again replied with the readback of the clearance to FL330. Captain of xzz later called us, xyz, and stated that he thought the clearance was for xyz and that he could be contacted for his input.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC FLC MISCOM ON ALT CLRNC. FLC HAD REQUESTED AN ALT CHANGE DUE TO WX AND WHEN ATC GAVE A CLRNC TO CLB, THE RPTR FLC RESPONDED AND COMMENCED CLB. THE CTLR INTERVENED AFTER THEY HAD CLBED 1300 FT AND TOLD THEM TO DSND BACK TO THEIR ASSIGNED FL290. THEN ASKED ANOTHER ACFT WHAT ALT THEY WERE AT AND THEY WERE AT FL290. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE WAS A MIX-UP IN CALL SIGNS AND CLRNCS. RPTR SAYS THE CAPT OF THE OTHER ACFT SUBSTANTIATED THE ALT MISUNDERSTANDING.
Narrative: HAD REQUESTED A CHANGE IN FLT LEVELS OR A HDG CHANGE DUE TO WX ENRTE (TSTMS). ZLA CAME BACK WITH A CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL330. WE (ACR A, FLT XYZ) READ BACK THE CLRNC TO CLB TO FL330. AT FL303 ZLA INFORMED FLT XYZ THAT THEY NEEDED US AT FL290. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO FL290. THE CTLR WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE AFTER WE, XYZ, HAD LEVELED BACK TO FL290, HE HAD ASKED ACR B XZZ IF THEY WERE LEVEL AT FL330. XZZ FLT HAD RESPONDED THAT THEY WERE LEVEL AT FL290! AT THAT POINT THE ZLA CTLR ISSUED HIM A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL330. XZZ HAD NEVER BEGAN A CLB BECAUSE THEY KNEW WE, XYZ, HAD REQUESTED THE CLB, RECEIVED THE CLRNC AND THEN WE ONCE AGAIN REPLIED WITH THE READBACK OF THE CLRNC TO FL330. CAPT OF XZZ LATER CALLED US, XYZ, AND STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS FOR XYZ AND THAT HE COULD BE CONTACTED FOR HIS INPUT.
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.