<< >> NASA ASRS Report 345310, August 1996

ATC questions flight crew of a B757 regarding their altitude assignment suggesting that they were not descending to the proper altitude.

Attributes
ACN	345310
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	345310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

After rbv VOR, we were given a clearance to descend to 6000 ft, turn left to 360 degrees. After a short time, the controller asked us if we were descending to 5000 ft? I said the last altitude we had was 6000 ft. The controller said expedite your descent to 5000 ft and turn left to 330 degrees. No further comments were made. We followed our airline's procedure for altitude awareness and both of us confirmed the 6000 ft altitude clearance. I believe the controller just forgot to give us the lower altitude of 5000 ft as we were level at 6000 ft as instructed. I called ny approach after landing and they were not aware of any problems. The supervisor said the controller just probably forgot to give you 5000 ft and left you at 6000 ft. I thanked him and said they do a great job considering what they have to work in that area and especially around ewr. There are just too many aircraft trying to fly to ewr. Sits like this make me very uncomfortable. I believe this was not the flight crew error this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC QUESTIONS FLC OF A B757 REGARDING THEIR ALT ASSIGNMENT SUGGESTING THAT THEY WERE NOT DSNDING TO THE PROPER ALT.

Narrative: AFTER RBV VOR, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 6000 FT, TURN L TO 360 DEGS. AFTER A SHORT TIME, THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE DSNDING TO 5000 FT? I SAID THE LAST ALT WE HAD WAS 6000 FT. THE CTLR SAID EXPEDITE YOUR DSCNT TO 5000 FT AND TURN L TO 330 DEGS. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE. WE FOLLOWED OUR AIRLINE'S PROC FOR ALT AWARENESS AND BOTH OF US CONFIRMED THE 6000 FT ALT CLRNC. I BELIEVE THE CTLR JUST FORGOT TO GIVE US THE LOWER ALT OF 5000 FT AS WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT AS INSTRUCTED. I CALLED NY APCH AFTER LNDG AND THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBS. THE SUPVR SAID THE CTLR JUST PROBABLY FORGOT TO GIVE YOU 5000 FT AND LEFT YOU AT 6000 FT. I THANKED HIM AND SAID THEY DO A GREAT JOB CONSIDERING WHAT THEY HAVE TO WORK IN THAT AREA AND ESPECIALLY AROUND EWR. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY ACFT TRYING TO FLY TO EWR. SITS LIKE THIS MAKE ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. I BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT THE FLC ERROR THIS TIME.

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.