<< >> NASA ASRS Report 386000, November 1997

An air carrier MD80 flight crew were accused of not complying with ATC instructions. They deny that they ever received those instructions.

Attributes
ACN	386000
Time
Date	199711
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 3495
ASRS Report	386000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	386833
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route swf-atl. ZTL descended another air carrier to avoid a conflict at FL260. ZTL said ZID (our previous controller) had given us a descent to FL250. Neither the copilot nor myself recall hearing or acknowledging the descent. I visually acquired the aircraft at left 9 O'clock position and 5 mi on the TCASII. The flight attendant had recently entered the cockpit to inquire as to our need for food or drink. However, both crew members had their headsets on so I do not believe we missed the descent call. I'm confident that we never acknowledged the descent since FL260 was still in the altitude window.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC WERE ACCUSED OF NOT COMPLYING WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS. THEY DENY THAT THEY EVER RECEIVED THOSE INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: ENRTE SWF-ATL. ZTL DSNDED ANOTHER ACR TO AVOID A CONFLICT AT FL260. ZTL SAID ZID (OUR PREVIOUS CTLR) HAD GIVEN US A DSCNT TO FL250. NEITHER THE COPLT NOR MYSELF RECALL HEARING OR ACKNOWLEDGING THE DSCNT. I VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE ACFT AT L 9 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI ON THE TCASII. THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD RECENTLY ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO INQUIRE AS TO OUR NEED FOR FOOD OR DRINK. HOWEVER, BOTH CREW MEMBERS HAD THEIR HEADSETS ON SO I DO NOT BELIEVE WE MISSED THE DSCNT CALL. I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE DSCNT SINCE FL260 WAS STILL IN THE ALT WINDOW.

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.