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Flight crew of an medium large transport descended below assigned altitude during a STAR arrival due to a misunderstanding of the altitude assigned. The captain read back what he believed to be the assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 414301 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199809 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : das airport : iah |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iah |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| 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 : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 414301 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 414780 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Air carrier X flight was arriving to hou on the daisetta arrival. We just switched over to hou approach at 11000 ft. The controller said (or I heard) 'after daisetta, depart on the 215 degree radial and descend to 4000 ft.' I complied with this. Passing 5200 ft the controller said 'air carrier X, you were cleared to 6000 ft.' we immediately climbed back to 6000 ft. There were no other aircraft around. The closest aircraft on TCASII was 7 mi away. I still feel like we had been cleared to 4000 ft in the clearance, but maybe I was wrong. My first officer was new and can't remember hearing the clearance. At any rate, the controller said that 'it was not a problem.' hopefully it won't be. Afterward, I told my first officer to make a concentrated effort on backing up the altitudes given even though he was flying the aircraft and not talking. 2 sets of ears backing up the altitudes helps prevent incidents like this.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING A STAR ARR DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ALT ASSIGNED. THE CAPT READ BACK WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: ACR X FLT WAS ARRIVING TO HOU ON THE DAISETTA ARR. WE JUST SWITCHED OVER TO HOU APCH AT 11000 FT. THE CTLR SAID (OR I HEARD) 'AFTER DAISETTA, DEPART ON THE 215 DEG RADIAL AND DSND TO 4000 FT.' I COMPLIED WITH THIS. PASSING 5200 FT THE CTLR SAID 'ACR X, YOU WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT.' WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 6000 FT. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT AROUND. THE CLOSEST ACFT ON TCASII WAS 7 MI AWAY. I STILL FEEL LIKE WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4000 FT IN THE CLRNC, BUT MAYBE I WAS WRONG. MY FO WAS NEW AND CAN'T REMEMBER HEARING THE CLRNC. AT ANY RATE, THE CTLR SAID THAT 'IT WAS NOT A PROB.' HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE. AFTERWARD, I TOLD MY FO TO MAKE A CONCENTRATED EFFORT ON BACKING UP THE ALTS GIVEN EVEN THOUGH HE WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND NOT TALKING. 2 SETS OF EARS BACKING UP THE ALTS HELPS PREVENT INCIDENTS LIKE THIS.
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.