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An medium large transport flight crew descends below their assigned altitude when they copy the altitude incorrectly and this caused an 'RA' that the flight crew reacted to even though they had the traffic in sight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 347930 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199609 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pit tower : sfo |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 347930 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 4400 |
| ASRS Report | 348571 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While being vectored during approach phase and being given various altitude assignments, the crew understood and read back an altitude which created the conflict. This incorrect readback was not caught by the ATC specialist and while continuing a shallow descent a conflict arose with a departing aircraft. The crew had the aircraft in visual contact at all times and what evasive action there was resulted from a TCASII alert. There was at no time a danger of a near miss. This was confirmed later in a discussion with the facility supervisor. All parties to the incident discovered the mistake at the same time. Unfortunately, in today's busy 'hub' environments it is too easy for both controllers and pilots to assume that each others xmissions are clearly understood and that instructions will be complied with. Everybody needs to adjust their pace so that there is no doubt and to listen to what is said so that misunderstandings such as this can be corrected when they are made.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MLG FLC DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY COPY THE ALT INCORRECTLY AND THIS CAUSED AN 'RA' THAT THE FLC REACTED TO EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT.
Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED DURING APCH PHASE AND BEING GIVEN VARIOUS ALT ASSIGNMENTS, THE CREW UNDERSTOOD AND READ BACK AN ALT WHICH CREATED THE CONFLICT. THIS INCORRECT READBACK WAS NOT CAUGHT BY THE ATC SPECIALIST AND WHILE CONTINUING A SHALLOW DSCNT A CONFLICT AROSE WITH A DEPARTING ACFT. THE CREW HAD THE ACFT IN VISUAL CONTACT AT ALL TIMES AND WHAT EVASIVE ACTION THERE WAS RESULTED FROM A TCASII ALERT. THERE WAS AT NO TIME A DANGER OF A NEAR MISS. THIS WAS CONFIRMED LATER IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE FACILITY SUPVR. ALL PARTIES TO THE INCIDENT DISCOVERED THE MISTAKE AT THE SAME TIME. UNFORTUNATELY, IN TODAY'S BUSY 'HUB' ENVIRONMENTS IT IS TOO EASY FOR BOTH CTLRS AND PLTS TO ASSUME THAT EACH OTHERS XMISSIONS ARE CLRLY UNDERSTOOD AND THAT INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE COMPLIED WITH. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO ADJUST THEIR PACE SO THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT AND TO LISTEN TO WHAT IS SAID SO THAT MISUNDERSTANDINGS SUCH AS THIS CAN BE CORRECTED WHEN THEY ARE MADE.
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.