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A320 flight crew given a clearance that they thought included a descent but did not. When beginning descent, controller caught it and reclred to desired altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 453272 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dtw.airport |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Route In Use | arrival star : spica |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 453272 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllerb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On the spica arrival into dtw, during a busy morning, there were numerous vectors off course and numerous speed restrs given. While flying level at 12000 ft a clearance was given with a heading, an airspeed, and instructions to rejoin the arrival on the given heading. I also believed that an altitude change had been given and set the new altitude (11000 ft) in the altitude window. Once on the new heading and slowed down, I realized I hadn't begun my descent and saw that 11000 ft had been set in the altitude window. I therefore began to descend and ATC queried our altitude immediately. We were given an immediate turn and told to climb immediately to 12000 ft. There were no TCASII advisories and ATC informed us that there was an aircraft ahead of us at 11000 ft. The early hour in the morning after a very short overnight in new york and my failure to confirm the new altitude with the captain before beginning my descent were the contributing factors.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 FLC GIVEN A CLRNC THAT THEY THOUGHT INCLUDED A DSCNT BUT DID NOT. WHEN BEGINNING DSCNT, CTLR CAUGHT IT AND RECLRED TO DESIRED ALT.
Narrative: ON THE SPICA ARR INTO DTW, DURING A BUSY MORNING, THERE WERE NUMEROUS VECTORS OFF COURSE AND NUMEROUS SPD RESTRS GIVEN. WHILE FLYING LEVEL AT 12000 FT A CLRNC WAS GIVEN WITH A HDG, AN AIRSPD, AND INSTRUCTIONS TO REJOIN THE ARR ON THE GIVEN HDG. I ALSO BELIEVED THAT AN ALT CHANGE HAD BEEN GIVEN AND SET THE NEW ALT (11000 FT) IN THE ALT WINDOW. ONCE ON THE NEW HDG AND SLOWED DOWN, I REALIZED I HADN'T BEGUN MY DSCNT AND SAW THAT 11000 FT HAD BEEN SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. I THEREFORE BEGAN TO DSND AND ATC QUERIED OUR ALT IMMEDIATELY. WE WERE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND TOLD TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 12000 FT. THERE WERE NO TCASII ADVISORIES AND ATC INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT AHEAD OF US AT 11000 FT. THE EARLY HR IN THE MORNING AFTER A VERY SHORT OVERNIGHT IN NEW YORK AND MY FAILURE TO CONFIRM THE NEW ALT WITH THE CAPT BEFORE BEGINNING MY DSCNT WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
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.