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A C172 instructor pilot did not fully hear the radio communication between his student and an ARTCC radar controller and therefore did not descend to his assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 431840 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 970 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 431840 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was conducting an IFR training flight in visual conditions. I told the student to contact ZSE and ask for a practice ILS runway 16R approach to pae. Due to a problem with the intercom in the airplane, I could not hear what my student requested. The center controller replied, 'did you file a flight plan?' I then responded with 'no sir, we just want practice approachs.' he then asked me to give him exactly what type of approachs, how many of each, and how the approachs will terminate. I replied, '1 ILS runway 16R followed by a missed approach, then 1 full procedure NDB followed by a missed approach, then returning to renton field VFR.' his reply was, 'so you want IFR, I will get back to you.' he then cleared us to pae airport via radar vectors, maintain 3000 ft. At the time we were at 3500 ft. A few mins later, center advised us that our assigned altitude was 3000 ft. We were still at 3500 ft so I instructed the student to descend to 3000 ft. With the confusion caused from the intercom in the airplane and the very unhelpful center controller, I assumed that we were in violation for not maintaining our assigned altitude of 3000 ft for a few mins under IFR. I believe the major cause for missing the assigned altitude was my being unable to hear the full clearance due to the intercom. I squawked the problem to our mechanics once we landed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 INSTRUCTOR PLT DID NOT FULLY HEAR THE RADIO COM BTWN HIS STUDENT AND AN ARTCC RADAR CTLR AND THEREFORE DID NOT DSND TO HIS ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING AN IFR TRAINING FLT IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. I TOLD THE STUDENT TO CONTACT ZSE AND ASK FOR A PRACTICE ILS RWY 16R APCH TO PAE. DUE TO A PROB WITH THE INTERCOM IN THE AIRPLANE, I COULD NOT HEAR WHAT MY STUDENT REQUESTED. THE CTR CTLR REPLIED, 'DID YOU FILE A FLT PLAN?' I THEN RESPONDED WITH 'NO SIR, WE JUST WANT PRACTICE APCHS.' HE THEN ASKED ME TO GIVE HIM EXACTLY WHAT TYPE OF APCHS, HOW MANY OF EACH, AND HOW THE APCHS WILL TERMINATE. I REPLIED, '1 ILS RWY 16R FOLLOWED BY A MISSED APCH, THEN 1 FULL PROC NDB FOLLOWED BY A MISSED APCH, THEN RETURNING TO RENTON FIELD VFR.' HIS REPLY WAS, 'SO YOU WANT IFR, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU.' HE THEN CLRED US TO PAE ARPT VIA RADAR VECTORS, MAINTAIN 3000 FT. AT THE TIME WE WERE AT 3500 FT. A FEW MINS LATER, CTR ADVISED US THAT OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3000 FT. WE WERE STILL AT 3500 FT SO I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO DSND TO 3000 FT. WITH THE CONFUSION CAUSED FROM THE INTERCOM IN THE AIRPLANE AND THE VERY UNHELPFUL CTR CTLR, I ASSUMED THAT WE WERE IN VIOLATION FOR NOT MAINTAINING OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT FOR A FEW MINS UNDER IFR. I BELIEVE THE MAJOR CAUSE FOR MISSING THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS MY BEING UNABLE TO HEAR THE FULL CLRNC DUE TO THE INTERCOM. I SQUAWKED THE PROB TO OUR MECHS ONCE WE LANDED.
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.