 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Flight crew of an medium large transport overshot intermediate altitude on descent due to misunderstanding of the foreign approach controller clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 459240 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200001 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : smo.vor |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mmmx.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 459240 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was the first officer on a scheduled flight from iah to mex. We were to expect the ILS runway 5R at mex. The captain and I then both heard the controller say cleared to 10000 ft and cleared for the approach at mex. The captain then set in 10000 ft on the altitude alerter. Over the VOR (mateo) the controller said 'what is your altitude?' I said '10300 ft.' the controller then said 'you're below the MEA, climb to 11000 ft.' the captain then said we were VFR. The controller then said continue under VMC. The captain and I deduced the controller originally said cleared to 11000 ft, cleared for the approach, however I read back 10000 ft. There was no conflict due to excellent WX and we landed without incident. Contributing factors to the incident were the lack of clear communications between the crew and controller.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG OVERSHOT INTERMEDIATE ALT ON DSCNT DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE FOREIGN APCH CTLR CLRNC.
Narrative: I WAS THE FO ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM IAH TO MEX. WE WERE TO EXPECT THE ILS RWY 5R AT MEX. THE CAPT AND I THEN BOTH HEARD THE CTLR SAY CLRED TO 10000 FT AND CLRED FOR THE APCH AT MEX. THE CAPT THEN SET IN 10000 FT ON THE ALT ALERTER. OVER THE VOR (MATEO) THE CTLR SAID 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' I SAID '10300 FT.' THE CTLR THEN SAID 'YOU'RE BELOW THE MEA, CLB TO 11000 FT.' THE CAPT THEN SAID WE WERE VFR. THE CTLR THEN SAID CONTINUE UNDER VMC. THE CAPT AND I DEDUCED THE CTLR ORIGINALLY SAID CLRED TO 11000 FT, CLRED FOR THE APCH, HOWEVER I READ BACK 10000 FT. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT DUE TO EXCELLENT WX AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE INCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF CLR COMS BTWN THE CREW AND CTLR.
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.