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Captain of a B757 overshot descent assigned altitude due to a misunderstanding of the correct altitude. However, after first officer requested clarification from ATC, they were reclred to stay at that altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 386850 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gqe airport : mem |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mem |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2300 |
| ASRS Report | 386850 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On descent into mem passing 9200 ft for 8000 ft on the gilmore STAR, approach told us to level at 9000 ft and make a left 360 degree turn to rejoin the arrival. I acknowledged the new clearance and observed the captain slewing the heading to the left on the MCP. I thought I saw him reach for the altitude knob and at that time went head down to reprogram the FMS to intercept the arrival upon the completion of our turn. After about 90 degrees of heading change, I looked up and saw that we were leveling at 8000 ft. I informed the captain that our assigned altitude was 9000 ft. I called ATC to verify and he told us to just remain at 8000 ft now. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Company procedures dictate that the PF will make all MCP changes (including altitude) with the autoplt on. I should have technically violated this policy and spun in 9000 ft. Since we were in a high workload, short fuse scenario, I also could have been more positive about verifying that the captain had heard the entire clearance (level at 9000 ft) and not just the part about making the left 360 degree turn. Bottom line: should have to put the right altitude in the window.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A B757 OVERSHOT DSCNT ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CORRECT ALT. HOWEVER, AFTER FO REQUESTED CLARIFICATION FROM ATC, THEY WERE RECLRED TO STAY AT THAT ALT.
Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO MEM PASSING 9200 FT FOR 8000 FT ON THE GILMORE STAR, APCH TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 9000 FT AND MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN TO REJOIN THE ARR. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW CLRNC AND OBSERVED THE CAPT SLEWING THE HDG TO THE L ON THE MCP. I THOUGHT I SAW HIM REACH FOR THE ALT KNOB AND AT THAT TIME WENT HEAD DOWN TO REPROGRAM THE FMS TO INTERCEPT THE ARR UPON THE COMPLETION OF OUR TURN. AFTER ABOUT 90 DEGS OF HDG CHANGE, I LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT WE WERE LEVELING AT 8000 FT. I INFORMED THE CAPT THAT OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 9000 FT. I CALLED ATC TO VERIFY AND HE TOLD US TO JUST REMAIN AT 8000 FT NOW. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. COMPANY PROCS DICTATE THAT THE PF WILL MAKE ALL MCP CHANGES (INCLUDING ALT) WITH THE AUTOPLT ON. I SHOULD HAVE TECHNICALLY VIOLATED THIS POLICY AND SPUN IN 9000 FT. SINCE WE WERE IN A HIGH WORKLOAD, SHORT FUSE SCENARIO, I ALSO COULD HAVE BEEN MORE POSITIVE ABOUT VERIFYING THAT THE CAPT HAD HEARD THE ENTIRE CLRNC (LEVEL AT 9000 FT) AND NOT JUST THE PART ABOUT MAKING THE L 360 DEG TURN. BOTTOM LINE: SHOULD HAVE TO PUT THE RIGHT ALT IN THE 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.