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Flight crew of md super 80 receives clearance to descend. They read back and begin descent when questioned by center controller he indicates a different altitude than they heard. New altitude assigned.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 375970 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : esl |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 375970 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
ATC facility: ZDC. Location: kessel VOR esl 295 degree radial, 42 DME. Flight was at FL370, proceeding direct to the esl VOR. I had gone to the lavatory and was just returning as the first officer had started a descent, crossing 10 DME west of esl at FL290. I had just returned to my seat when the controller called and said he had a change to our altitude assignment. We both thought he said descend and maintain FL250. I read back descend and maintain FL250 and armed the altitude alert system. As it was my leg to fly, I took control of the aircraft and we continued toward FL250. Passing FL340, ZDC called and asked our altitude. The first officer replied passing FL340. The controller said something about FL350 being our clearance limit and told us to stop our descent at FL330. We complied, and a few moments later we were reclred to FL290. At no time did we hear anyone question my readback of descend to FL250. The TCASII was operating at the time and there were no targets indicated within 20 mi of our position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF MD SUPER 80 RECEIVES CLRNC TO DSND. THEY READ BACK AND BEGIN DSCNT WHEN QUESTIONED BY CTR CTLR HE INDICATES A DIFFERENT ALT THAN THEY HEARD. NEW ALT ASSIGNED.
Narrative: ATC FACILITY: ZDC. LOCATION: KESSEL VOR ESL 295 DEG RADIAL, 42 DME. FLT WAS AT FL370, PROCEEDING DIRECT TO THE ESL VOR. I HAD GONE TO THE LAVATORY AND WAS JUST RETURNING AS THE FO HAD STARTED A DSCNT, XING 10 DME W OF ESL AT FL290. I HAD JUST RETURNED TO MY SEAT WHEN THE CTLR CALLED AND SAID HE HAD A CHANGE TO OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT. WE BOTH THOUGHT HE SAID DSND AND MAINTAIN FL250. I READ BACK DSND AND MAINTAIN FL250 AND ARMED THE ALT ALERT SYS. AS IT WAS MY LEG TO FLY, I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND WE CONTINUED TOWARD FL250. PASSING FL340, ZDC CALLED AND ASKED OUR ALT. THE FO REPLIED PASSING FL340. THE CTLR SAID SOMETHING ABOUT FL350 BEING OUR CLRNC LIMIT AND TOLD US TO STOP OUR DSCNT AT FL330. WE COMPLIED, AND A FEW MOMENTS LATER WE WERE RECLRED TO FL290. AT NO TIME DID WE HEAR ANYONE QUESTION MY READBACK OF DSND TO FL250. THE TCASII WAS OPERATING AT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO TARGETS INDICATED WITHIN 20 MI OF OUR POS.
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.