Narrative:

Received clearance to cross doccs intersection at 15000 ft, speed 250 KTS. Possibility that PNF incorrectly copied altitude assignment, but we both were listening to radio and we both understood restr to cross at 15000 ft. In any event, even if we misunderstood clearance, I am positive with certainty that first officer did read back '15000 ft, speed 250 KTS' and we both acknowledged altitude in altitude alert window in accordance with company procedures. Approximately 10 NM west of doccs, I was making a shallow leveloff to 15000 ft and controller asked, 'please expedite through 12000 ft to 11000 ft .' my first comment and surprise expressed to the first officer was 'no further descent clearance received.' she advised controller we had been cleared to 15000 ft. Controller instructed 'maintain 15000 ft.' subsequently cleared us to 11000 ft and expedited down and reached 11000 ft within 1 NM of doccs intersection. Everyone was happy and no conflict. Although the STAR procedure says 'expect doccs intersection 11000 ft 250 KTS' it is quite common to receive any number of crossing restrs while flying this particular procedure which do not conform to the 'expect' advisory notes. Also, first officer's readback to controller, if erroneous, was not caught and corrected by controller. Factors effecting a high workload/high stress environment in cockpit: 1) convective storms all around us. 2) first officer unfamiliar to this arrival and this airport. 3) my complacency in not listening more closely. 4) fatigue. 5) my non safety related duties (announcements, asking first officer to confirm a service for passenger via company radio). 6) the old '11000 ft/10000 ft' altitude information problems. As always, on the radio, I always read back redundant figures involving 10000 ft and 11000 ft (ten, one zero thousand -- eleven, one one) should be standard controller phraseology.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC ON AN MD82 FAILS TO MAKE THE ALT XING RESTR THAT ATC THOUGHT THEY HAD ASSIGNED TO HIM. ALTDEV. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS DOCCS INTXN AT 15000 FT, SPD 250 KTS. POSSIBILITY THAT PNF INCORRECTLY COPIED ALT ASSIGNMENT, BUT WE BOTH WERE LISTENING TO RADIO AND WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD RESTR TO CROSS AT 15000 FT. IN ANY EVENT, EVEN IF WE MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC, I AM POSITIVE WITH CERTAINTY THAT FO DID READ BACK '15000 FT, SPD 250 KTS' AND WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED ALT IN ALT ALERT WINDOW IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY PROCS. APPROX 10 NM W OF DOCCS, I WAS MAKING A SHALLOW LEVELOFF TO 15000 FT AND CTLR ASKED, 'PLEASE EXPEDITE THROUGH 12000 FT TO 11000 FT .' MY FIRST COMMENT AND SURPRISE EXPRESSED TO THE FO WAS 'NO FURTHER DSCNT CLRNC RECEIVED.' SHE ADVISED CTLR WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 15000 FT. CTLR INSTRUCTED 'MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED US TO 11000 FT AND EXPEDITED DOWN AND REACHED 11000 FT WITHIN 1 NM OF DOCCS INTXN. EVERYONE WAS HAPPY AND NO CONFLICT. ALTHOUGH THE STAR PROC SAYS 'EXPECT DOCCS INTXN 11000 FT 250 KTS' IT IS QUITE COMMON TO RECEIVE ANY NUMBER OF XING RESTRS WHILE FLYING THIS PARTICULAR PROC WHICH DO NOT CONFORM TO THE 'EXPECT' ADVISORY NOTES. ALSO, FO'S READBACK TO CTLR, IF ERRONEOUS, WAS NOT CAUGHT AND CORRECTED BY CTLR. FACTORS EFFECTING A HIGH WORKLOAD/HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENT IN COCKPIT: 1) CONVECTIVE STORMS ALL AROUND US. 2) FO UNFAMILIAR TO THIS ARR AND THIS ARPT. 3) MY COMPLACENCY IN NOT LISTENING MORE CLOSELY. 4) FATIGUE. 5) MY NON SAFETY RELATED DUTIES (ANNOUNCEMENTS, ASKING FO TO CONFIRM A SVC FOR PAX VIA COMPANY RADIO). 6) THE OLD '11000 FT/10000 FT' ALT INFO PROBS. AS ALWAYS, ON THE RADIO, I ALWAYS READ BACK REDUNDANT FIGURES INVOLVING 10000 FT AND 11000 FT (TEN, ONE ZERO THOUSAND -- ELEVEN, ONE ONE) SHOULD BE STANDARD CTLR PHRASEOLOGY.

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.