B727 aircraft given descent clearance to FL260. ATC asked if flight crew could make FL240 in 1 min and reporter captain replied affirmative and flight crew continued descent until TCASII warned of traffic. Flight crew leveled aircraft and tried to contact center which was blocked due to frequency congestion. When able to contact center they affirmed the altitude assignment of FL240.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	375260
Time
Date	199707
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 26000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	375260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ZMA cleared us to FL260. Then asked if we could make FL240 in 1 min. I responded affirmative. We started down but center was busy and I wasn't sure if he was asking us if we could make the restr or were we actually cleared down. At that time TCASII gives TA for climbing aircraft. I told first officer, who was flying, to level off. I asked center to repeat clearance. He said we were cleared to FL240 but turn to avoid traffic. We never got an RA and I had traffic in sight. Not sure if we busted ATC separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 ACFT GIVEN DSCNT CLRNC TO FL260. ATC ASKED IF FLC COULD MAKE FL240 IN 1 MIN AND RPTR CAPT REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND FLC CONTINUED DSCNT UNTIL TCASII WARNED OF TFC. FLC LEVELED ACFT AND TRIED TO CONTACT CTR WHICH WAS BLOCKED DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. WHEN ABLE TO CONTACT CTR THEY AFFIRMED THE ALT ASSIGNMENT OF FL240.

Narrative: ZMA CLRED US TO FL260. THEN ASKED IF WE COULD MAKE FL240 IN 1 MIN. I RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE. WE STARTED DOWN BUT CTR WAS BUSY AND I WASN'T SURE IF HE WAS ASKING US IF WE COULD MAKE THE RESTR OR WERE WE ACTUALLY CLRED DOWN. AT THAT TIME TCASII GIVES TA FOR CLBING ACFT. I TOLD FO, WHO WAS FLYING, TO LEVEL OFF. I ASKED CTR TO REPEAT CLRNC. HE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO FL240 BUT TURN TO AVOID TFC. WE NEVER GOT AN RA AND I HAD TFC IN SIGHT. NOT SURE IF WE BUSTED ATC SEPARATION.

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.