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An airline B737-200 crew descended below their assigned altitude because they were expecting to cross a waypoint at the lower altitude. An alert radar controller had them return to their assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 429185 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : vkz.vor |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : mrlin |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 125 |
| ASRS Report | 429185 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was the PF from iad to fll. We were on the mrlin 4 arrival inbound to fll. We were tracking in on the virginia key (vkz) 029 degree radial. At about 60 mi from vkz at 12000 ft MSL, we were told to cross 30 mi out of fll at 7000 ft. I looked at the STAR and saw that mrlin intersection says expect to cross that at 7000 ft. We leveled off at 7000 ft and 1 min later ATC came back and said we should be at 9000 ft. We climbed back to 9000 ft and nothing was ever said again. With fll landing on runway 27R and mrlin intersection expected to be crossed at 7000 ft, our original clearance would have made sense. As the PF, I had read back the descent clearance to ATC, since the captain was on the PA. I don't know whether ATC or myself goofed, but the situation was unclr.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIRLINE B737-200 CREW DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT BECAUSE THEY WERE EXPECTING TO CROSS A WAYPOINT AT THE LOWER ALT. AN ALERT RADAR CTLR HAD THEM RETURN TO THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: I WAS THE PF FROM IAD TO FLL. WE WERE ON THE MRLIN 4 ARR INBOUND TO FLL. WE WERE TRACKING IN ON THE VIRGINIA KEY (VKZ) 029 DEG RADIAL. AT ABOUT 60 MI FROM VKZ AT 12000 FT MSL, WE WERE TOLD TO CROSS 30 MI OUT OF FLL AT 7000 FT. I LOOKED AT THE STAR AND SAW THAT MRLIN INTXN SAYS EXPECT TO CROSS THAT AT 7000 FT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 7000 FT AND 1 MIN LATER ATC CAME BACK AND SAID WE SHOULD BE AT 9000 FT. WE CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT AND NOTHING WAS EVER SAID AGAIN. WITH FLL LNDG ON RWY 27R AND MRLIN INTXN EXPECTED TO BE CROSSED AT 7000 FT, OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE. AS THE PF, I HAD READ BACK THE DSCNT CLRNC TO ATC, SINCE THE CAPT WAS ON THE PA. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER ATC OR MYSELF GOOFED, BUT THE SIT WAS UNCLR.
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.