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A dornier flight crew descended below an altitude restr on descent to ric. The altitude restr is clearly noted by both pilots.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 448044 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ric.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ric.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Do 328 TP (Turboprop) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 15700 flight time type : 3300 |
| ASRS Report | 448044 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 1900 |
| ASRS Report | 447833 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Flight crew captain PNF doing radio, etc. First officer, PF. Flying northbound from gsp to dca flight crew received following clearance from richmond approach: 'cross epics at 10000 ft, descend and maintain 8000 ft.' first officer interpreted this clearance to mean an immediate descent to 8000 ft was allowed (the usual clearance received at this localizer is 'epics at 10000 ft or below, descend and maintain 8000 ft.') first officer was a newly upgraded captain with low time who is now quite sure she knows what is right. CRM at this airline has had the effect of giving the captain only a vote as to what is correct -- the captain taking the aircraft at a time such as this could lead to serious political trouble. It's time to return some authority/authorized to the left seat, but I'm afraid those days are past. The company will not back a captain, particularly in a conflict with a woman. Supplemental information from acn 447833: I was assigned a clearance by richmond approach to cross epics at 10000 ft and to descend to 8000 ft. I began a descent from 14000 ft and was at 9200 ft at epics and continuing down to 8000 ft. As I passed epics, the controller asked why I was below 10000 ft at epics. I explained I had understood the clearance was to be at or below 10000 ft at epics. I think it's important both crew members discuss a clearance to make sure they both understand what is being issued and to clarify any misunderstandings.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DORNIER FLC DSNDED BELOW AN ALT RESTR ON DSCNT TO RIC. THE ALT RESTR IS CLRLY NOTED BY BOTH PLTS.
Narrative: FLC CAPT PNF DOING RADIO, ETC. FO, PF. FLYING NBOUND FROM GSP TO DCA FLC RECEIVED FOLLOWING CLRNC FROM RICHMOND APCH: 'CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT, DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.' FO INTERPRETED THIS CLRNC TO MEAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 8000 FT WAS ALLOWED (THE USUAL CLRNC RECEIVED AT THIS LOC IS 'EPICS AT 10000 FT OR BELOW, DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.') FO WAS A NEWLY UPGRADED CAPT WITH LOW TIME WHO IS NOW QUITE SURE SHE KNOWS WHAT IS RIGHT. CRM AT THIS AIRLINE HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF GIVING THE CAPT ONLY A VOTE AS TO WHAT IS CORRECT -- THE CAPT TAKING THE ACFT AT A TIME SUCH AS THIS COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS POLITICAL TROUBLE. IT'S TIME TO RETURN SOME AUTH TO THE L SEAT, BUT I'M AFRAID THOSE DAYS ARE PAST. THE COMPANY WILL NOT BACK A CAPT, PARTICULARLY IN A CONFLICT WITH A WOMAN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447833: I WAS ASSIGNED A CLRNC BY RICHMOND APCH TO CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT AND TO DSND TO 8000 FT. I BEGAN A DSCNT FROM 14000 FT AND WAS AT 9200 FT AT EPICS AND CONTINUING DOWN TO 8000 FT. AS I PASSED EPICS, THE CTLR ASKED WHY I WAS BELOW 10000 FT AT EPICS. I EXPLAINED I HAD UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC WAS TO BE AT OR BELOW 10000 FT AT EPICS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BOTH CREW MEMBERS DISCUSS A CLRNC TO MAKE SURE THEY BOTH UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING ISSUED AND TO CLARIFY ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
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.