B737 flight crew altitude deviation excursion from assigned after cleared for the big sur arrival.

Attributes
ACN	351350
Time
Date	199610
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15400 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	351350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Previously holding on the big sur arrival, we were cleared to exit the hold and cleared for the big sur arrival. At approximately 15400 ft MSL the controller asked our altitude, we responded and told him we were cleared for big sur arrival. It appears there was no conflict for traffic and the controller cleared us for the big sur arrival. No instructions were issued to call by phone to ZOA. Contributing factors: captain transferred aircraft control to first officer prior to entering holding while the captain coordinated with air carrier X dispatch. The efc time posed problems for diversion planning. The sfo arrival rate for landing was less than planned for. The captain took aircraft control just prior to leaving the hold and receiving clearance for the arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC ALTDEV EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED AFTER CLRED FOR THE BIG SUR ARR.

Narrative: PREVIOUSLY HOLDING ON THE BIG SUR ARR, WE WERE CLRED TO EXIT THE HOLD AND CLRED FOR THE BIG SUR ARR. AT APPROX 15400 FT MSL THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT, WE RESPONDED AND TOLD HIM WE WERE CLRED FOR BIG SUR ARR. IT APPEARS THERE WAS NO CONFLICT FOR TFC AND THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE BIG SUR ARR. NO INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED TO CALL BY PHONE TO ZOA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CAPT TRANSFERRED ACFT CTL TO FO PRIOR TO ENTERING HOLDING WHILE THE CAPT COORDINATED WITH ACR X DISPATCH. THE EFC TIME POSED PROBS FOR DIVERSION PLANNING. THE SFO ARR RATE FOR LNDG WAS LESS THAN PLANNED FOR. THE CAPT TOOK ACFT CTL JUST PRIOR TO LEAVING THE HOLD AND RECEIVING CLRNC FOR THE ARR.

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.