MD88 aircraft given last min holding instructions and descent clearance. Reporter captain out of loo...

Attributes
ACN	388130
Time
Date	199712
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	388130
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had been cleared for the macey arrival into atl to cross the macey intersection at 250 KTS and 13000 ft. 2 mi prior to macey intersection, ZTL abruptly gave us instructions to hold at macey as published, and provided us with an efc time. As the first officer began the turn to enter holding, I loaded the holding data into the FMS. I completed loading the holding data as we were nearly through our turn to the outbound heading. I noticed our altitude was 12400 ft and we were descending. I asked the first officer if we had received clearance to descend. He stated that ZTL had given us clearance to descend to 12000 ft, that he read back leaving 13000 ft for 12000 ft, and that ZTL said 'roger.' shortly after leveling at 12000 ft, ZTL said we were supposed to be at 13000 ft. Center gave us a wbound vector, and instructed us to climb back up to 13000 ft. I asked ZTL if there was a problem with what had happened, and if we had a loss of separation with any aircraft. ZTL said there was no problem and no loss of separation occurred. At this point, I do not know for certain if ZTL gave us clearance to descend to 12000 ft as the first officer said or not. While I was loading the holding data into the FMS, I heard the first officer talking with center, but I did not pick up any specifics as I was concentrating on correctly loading the holding data into the FMS. After discussing the situation with the first officer, I told him if there is even a remote question in a crew member's mind as to clearance, to ask the controling agency to confirm the clearance. I think if the word 'confirm' is used in the transmission, it alerts the controller and crew to be especially aware of the clearance issued. Receiving holding instructions 2 mi from the holding fix is also a contributing factor, as it provides inadequate time to properly set up to enter holding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 ACFT GIVEN LAST MIN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AND DSCNT CLRNC. RPTR CAPT OUT OF LOOP INSERTING THE HOLDING IN FMS, FO RESPONDS TO ATC DSCNT CLRNC TO 12000 FT. CTLR SHORTLY TELLS FLC THEY WERE ONLY CLRED TO 13000 FT AND FLC RETURNS TO ALT.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE MACEY ARR INTO ATL TO CROSS THE MACEY INTXN AT 250 KTS AND 13000 FT. 2 MI PRIOR TO MACEY INTXN, ZTL ABRUPTLY GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD AT MACEY AS PUBLISHED, AND PROVIDED US WITH AN EFC TIME. AS THE FO BEGAN THE TURN TO ENTER HOLDING, I LOADED THE HOLDING DATA INTO THE FMS. I COMPLETED LOADING THE HOLDING DATA AS WE WERE NEARLY THROUGH OUR TURN TO THE OUTBOUND HDG. I NOTICED OUR ALT WAS 12400 FT AND WE WERE DSNDING. I ASKED THE FO IF WE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND. HE STATED THAT ZTL HAD GIVEN US CLRNC TO DSND TO 12000 FT, THAT HE READ BACK LEAVING 13000 FT FOR 12000 FT, AND THAT ZTL SAID 'ROGER.' SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 12000 FT, ZTL SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 13000 FT. CTR GAVE US A WBOUND VECTOR, AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLB BACK UP TO 13000 FT. I ASKED ZTL IF THERE WAS A PROB WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND IF WE HAD A LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ANY ACFT. ZTL SAID THERE WAS NO PROB AND NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. AT THIS POINT, I DO NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF ZTL GAVE US CLRNC TO DSND TO 12000 FT AS THE FO SAID OR NOT. WHILE I WAS LOADING THE HOLDING DATA INTO THE FMS, I HEARD THE FO TALKING WITH CTR, BUT I DID NOT PICK UP ANY SPECIFICS AS I WAS CONCENTRATING ON CORRECTLY LOADING THE HOLDING DATA INTO THE FMS. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH THE FO, I TOLD HIM IF THERE IS EVEN A REMOTE QUESTION IN A CREW MEMBER'S MIND AS TO CLRNC, TO ASK THE CTLING AGENCY TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC. I THINK IF THE WORD 'CONFIRM' IS USED IN THE XMISSION, IT ALERTS THE CTLR AND CREW TO BE ESPECIALLY AWARE OF THE CLRNC ISSUED. RECEIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS 2 MI FROM THE HOLDING FIX IS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AS IT PROVIDES INADEQUATE TIME TO PROPERLY SET UP TO ENTER HOLDING.

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.