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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Light transport aircraft descending for visual approach, first officer on PA to passenger and clearance to 6000 ft. Captain read back altitude of 3000 ft and error was not realized until aircraft leveled at 3000 ft. Controller reclred aircraft to 3000 ft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 376890 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199708 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ewr |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zny tower : jfk |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 376890 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While descending for our visual approach into ewr, new york approach cleared us to 6000 ft but the captain read back '3000 ft.' I did not pick up the error because I was talking to the passenger in the back, and could not hear ATC communications. We were alerted to the error when new york approach asked us to state our altitude. The captain told the controller he read back '3000 ft' and the controller said there were 'no problems' and to 'maintain 3000 ft.' there was obviously a breakdown in pilot/controller communications. If I was monitoring the frequency while talking to the passenger, or if I had talked to them earlier in the arrival phase, perhaps I would have caught the error. Customer relations is important in airline operations but takes a back seat to safety. In the future, I will 'talk to the folks' earlier in the descent/arrival phase of flight before the important approach phase.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT ACFT DSNDING FOR VISUAL APCH, FO ON PA TO PAX AND CLRNC TO 6000 FT. CAPT READ BACK ALT OF 3000 FT AND ERROR WAS NOT REALIZED UNTIL ACFT LEVELED AT 3000 FT. CTLR RECLRED ACFT TO 3000 FT.
Narrative: WHILE DSNDING FOR OUR VISUAL APCH INTO EWR, NEW YORK APCH CLRED US TO 6000 FT BUT THE CAPT READ BACK '3000 FT.' I DID NOT PICK UP THE ERROR BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO THE PAX IN THE BACK, AND COULD NOT HEAR ATC COMS. WE WERE ALERTED TO THE ERROR WHEN NEW YORK APCH ASKED US TO STATE OUR ALT. THE CAPT TOLD THE CTLR HE READ BACK '3000 FT' AND THE CTLR SAID THERE WERE 'NO PROBS' AND TO 'MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A BREAKDOWN IN PLT/CTLR COMS. IF I WAS MONITORING THE FREQ WHILE TALKING TO THE PAX, OR IF I HAD TALKED TO THEM EARLIER IN THE ARR PHASE, PERHAPS I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ERROR. CUSTOMER RELATIONS IS IMPORTANT IN AIRLINE OPS BUT TAKES A BACK SEAT TO SAFETY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL 'TALK TO THE FOLKS' EARLIER IN THE DSCNT/ARR PHASE OF FLT BEFORE THE IMPORTANT APCH PHASE.
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.