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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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DC9 aircraft in cruise reporter captain, anticipating clearance to lower altitude when changing ATC frequency. Commenced descent prior to receiving clearance, but returned to assigned after 300 ft descent. Shortly thereafter ATC cleared flight crew to lower altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 365500 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sux |
| State Reference | IA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16700 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zmp |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 21292 flight time type : 12700 |
| ASRS Report | 365500 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We had just changed over to the center frequency that gives us a lower altitude. Many times he/she gives us a lower altitude when we first contact them. We were at the correct distance to start down, so I did. However, we didn't have a clearance to start down. I descended 300 ft before I caught the error. Climbed back up to 17000 ft, requested a lower altitude, received the clearance to 11000 ft and again started down. No conflict. Reason??? It was monday. I had been off for 10 days. Had taken a little trip (drove 1400 mi). My mind wasn't entirely on the job. I am thinking about retiring. All the above.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DC9 ACFT IN CRUISE RPTR CAPT, ANTICIPATING CLRNC TO LOWER ALT WHEN CHANGING ATC FREQ. COMMENCED DSCNT PRIOR TO RECEIVING CLRNC, BUT RETURNED TO ASSIGNED AFTER 300 FT DSCNT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER ATC CLRED FLC TO LOWER ALT.
Narrative: WE HAD JUST CHANGED OVER TO THE CTR FREQ THAT GIVES US A LOWER ALT. MANY TIMES HE/SHE GIVES US A LOWER ALT WHEN WE FIRST CONTACT THEM. WE WERE AT THE CORRECT DISTANCE TO START DOWN, SO I DID. HOWEVER, WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLRNC TO START DOWN. I DSNDED 300 FT BEFORE I CAUGHT THE ERROR. CLBED BACK UP TO 17000 FT, REQUESTED A LOWER ALT, RECEIVED THE CLRNC TO 11000 FT AND AGAIN STARTED DOWN. NO CONFLICT. REASON??? IT WAS MONDAY. I HAD BEEN OFF FOR 10 DAYS. HAD TAKEN A LITTLE TRIP (DROVE 1400 MI). MY MIND WASN'T ENTIRELY ON THE JOB. I AM THINKING ABOUT RETIRING. ALL THE ABOVE.
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.