<< >> NASA ASRS Report 456140, November 1999

Distraction confused controller ZMA changes air carrier descent clearance several times into mia on cyy 3 STAR.

Attributes
ACN	456140
Time
Date	199911
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 38500 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc tower : slc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : cyy3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	456146
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Location: 40 mi south srq. Flying direct to cyy on the cyy 3 arrival, we were cleared to descend to FL240. The first officer asked if that was at our discretion. The controller responded after FL390 discretion to FL240. Descending through FL390 the controller told us to maintain FL390. We reported level at FL385 and were climbing back to FL390. The controller then gave us a turn to 180 degrees and reaching FL390 cleared direct to worpp intersection. When asked about the descent through FL390 the controller seemed to contradict himself about the earlier clearance saying that we were only cleared to FL390. No conflict occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISTR CONFUSED CTLR ZMA CHANGES ACR DSCNT CLRNC SEVERAL TIMES INTO MIA ON CYY 3 STAR.

Narrative: LOCATION: 40 MI S SRQ. FLYING DIRECT TO CYY ON THE CYY 3 ARR, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL240. THE FO ASKED IF THAT WAS AT OUR DISCRETION. THE CTLR RESPONDED AFTER FL390 DISCRETION TO FL240. DSNDING THROUGH FL390 THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL390. WE RPTED LEVEL AT FL385 AND WERE CLBING BACK TO FL390. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A TURN TO 180 DEGS AND REACHING FL390 CLRED DIRECT TO WORPP INTXN. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DSCNT THROUGH FL390 THE CTLR SEEMED TO CONTRADICT HIMSELF ABOUT THE EARLIER CLRNC SAYING THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL390. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED.

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.