Flight crew of cpr CE650 is issued confusing clearance to descend (they are on a STAR), then given a...

Attributes
ACN	385740
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ela
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11800 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	385740
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We had descended to 12000 ft approximately 15 NM west of gland intersection while heading east. We were expecting to cross gland at 10000 ft per the STAR. ATC told us to turn right to a heading of 270 degrees in order to make our crossing restr at gland. (We had never been given an expected crossing altitude at gland.) I told ATC that we could have made gland at 10000 ft on our previous heading. ATC said that she needed us over gland at 5000 ft. While turning right to 270 degrees, our altitude inadvertently went from 12000 ft to 11800 ft. As that occurred, we thought we heard ATC tell us to continue descent to 11000 ft. While the copilot tried to call ATC to verify that clearance, I started to descend but immediately stopped to wait and see if that clearance was correct. ATC began asking 2 other aircraft what their altitudes were. She got the altitudes mixed up between the 2 aircraft and had to ask them again for their correct altitudes. Then she asked what our altitude was and we reported 11900 ft (I had started a climb back to 12000 ft). Finally, I asked her what altitude she would like us to maintain. She responded, 12000 ft heading 260 degrees. I read back the clearance. We eventually got turned back to an easterly heading and crossed gland at 5000 ft. She apologized for having to turn us 360 degrees to make gland at 5000 ft. I believe a contributing factor in this incident was that ATC was overloaded with aircraft at the time. There were many aircraft on the frequency. The controller seemed very shaken with the workload. I suspect she may have been in training. At one point, a male voice started giving instructions to the aircraft, but she eventually came back on. Also, had we been told to expect gland at 5000 ft, I would have descended more quickly. Also, the fact that our altitude slipped below 12000 ft may have added to the situation after we were on the vector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF CPR CE650 IS ISSUED CONFUSING CLRNC TO DSND (THEY ARE ON A STAR), THEN GIVEN A TURN TO 'MEET A XING RESTR' WHICH THEY WERE NEVER GIVEN. EVENTUALLY GIVEN A 360 DEG TURN BACK ON COURSE.

Narrative: WE HAD DSNDED TO 12000 FT APPROX 15 NM W OF GLAND INTXN WHILE HDG E. WE WERE EXPECTING TO CROSS GLAND AT 10000 FT PER THE STAR. ATC TOLD US TO TURN R TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR XING RESTR AT GLAND. (WE HAD NEVER BEEN GIVEN AN EXPECTED XING ALT AT GLAND.) I TOLD ATC THAT WE COULD HAVE MADE GLAND AT 10000 FT ON OUR PREVIOUS HDG. ATC SAID THAT SHE NEEDED US OVER GLAND AT 5000 FT. WHILE TURNING R TO 270 DEGS, OUR ALT INADVERTENTLY WENT FROM 12000 FT TO 11800 FT. AS THAT OCCURRED, WE THOUGHT WE HEARD ATC TELL US TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO 11000 FT. WHILE THE COPLT TRIED TO CALL ATC TO VERIFY THAT CLRNC, I STARTED TO DSND BUT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TO WAIT AND SEE IF THAT CLRNC WAS CORRECT. ATC BEGAN ASKING 2 OTHER ACFT WHAT THEIR ALTS WERE. SHE GOT THE ALTS MIXED UP BTWN THE 2 ACFT AND HAD TO ASK THEM AGAIN FOR THEIR CORRECT ALTS. THEN SHE ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND WE RPTED 11900 FT (I HAD STARTED A CLB BACK TO 12000 FT). FINALLY, I ASKED HER WHAT ALT SHE WOULD LIKE US TO MAINTAIN. SHE RESPONDED, 12000 FT HDG 260 DEGS. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. WE EVENTUALLY GOT TURNED BACK TO AN EASTERLY HDG AND CROSSED GLAND AT 5000 FT. SHE APOLOGIZED FOR HAVING TO TURN US 360 DEGS TO MAKE GLAND AT 5000 FT. I BELIEVE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT WAS THAT ATC WAS OVERLOADED WITH ACFT AT THE TIME. THERE WERE MANY ACFT ON THE FREQ. THE CTLR SEEMED VERY SHAKEN WITH THE WORKLOAD. I SUSPECT SHE MAY HAVE BEEN IN TRAINING. AT ONE POINT, A MALE VOICE STARTED GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACFT, BUT SHE EVENTUALLY CAME BACK ON. ALSO, HAD WE BEEN TOLD TO EXPECT GLAND AT 5000 FT, I WOULD HAVE DSNDED MORE QUICKLY. ALSO, THE FACT THAT OUR ALT SLIPPED BELOW 12000 FT MAY HAVE ADDED TO THE SIT AFTER WE WERE ON THE VECTOR.

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.

Flight crew of cpr CE650 is issued confusing clearance to descend (they are on a STAR), then given a turn to 'meet a crossing restr' which they were never given. Eventually given a 360 degree turn back on course.