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An A320 flight crew apparently overshot their assigned crossing altitude at cofax after the controller alerts them to a possible clearance deviation on ZNY, ny.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 458480 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199912 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : cofax |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | arrival star : bunts 1 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 458480 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1900 |
| ASRS Report | 458483 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
ZOB issued clearance to descend at pilot's discretion from FL330 to cross cofax intersection at FL240. During the descent, a frequency change to ZNY occurred. Leveling off at FL240 crossing cofax, ZNY asked our altitude. We replied 'leveling off at FL240,' to which ZNY asked our assigned altitude. We reported the clearance to cross cofax at FL240, to which ZNY replied 'are you sure that wasn't FL250?' then he said he'd check with the previous controller. Nothing else was said regarding the altitude after that. The captain was the PF, so per SOP's I worked the radio and set FL240 in the altitude window of the flight control unit. The captain set FL240 as a crossing restr in the FMGC and commanded the descent on the flight control unit. The aircraft was being flown with autoplt #1 and autothrottles engaged the entire time. Supplemental information from acn 458483: there was no traffic conflict and no further comments. We believe we were given an incorrect altitude and that the controller failed to correct either his mistake or our readback of the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 FLC APPARENTLY OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED XING ALT AT COFAX AFTER THE CTLR ALERTS THEM TO A POSSIBLE CLRNC DEV ON ZNY, NY.
Narrative: ZOB ISSUED CLRNC TO DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION FROM FL330 TO CROSS COFAX INTXN AT FL240. DURING THE DSCNT, A FREQ CHANGE TO ZNY OCCURRED. LEVELING OFF AT FL240 XING COFAX, ZNY ASKED OUR ALT. WE REPLIED 'LEVELING OFF AT FL240,' TO WHICH ZNY ASKED OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE RPTED THE CLRNC TO CROSS COFAX AT FL240, TO WHICH ZNY REPLIED 'ARE YOU SURE THAT WASN'T FL250?' THEN HE SAID HE'D CHK WITH THE PREVIOUS CTLR. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID REGARDING THE ALT AFTER THAT. THE CAPT WAS THE PF, SO PER SOP'S I WORKED THE RADIO AND SET FL240 IN THE ALT WINDOW OF THE FLT CTL UNIT. THE CAPT SET FL240 AS A XING RESTR IN THE FMGC AND COMMANDED THE DSCNT ON THE FLT CTL UNIT. THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN WITH AUTOPLT #1 AND AUTOTHROTTLES ENGAGED THE ENTIRE TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 458483: THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND NO FURTHER COMMENTS. WE BELIEVE WE WERE GIVEN AN INCORRECT ALT AND THAT THE CTLR FAILED TO CORRECT EITHER HIS MISTAKE OR OUR READBACK OF THE CLRNC.
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.