<< >> NASA ASRS Report 464643, February 2000

Captain of an MD88 descended below assigned altitude during STAR arrival resulting in a confliction with another MD88 on departure.

Attributes
ACN	464643
Time
Date	200002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10400 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : sinca-sinca 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	464643
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	465280
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descent on sinca arrival to atl. Checked in with atl approach frequency 118.65 descending through 15000 ft for 14000 ft to cross husky intersection at 14000 ft 250 KTS. Approach controller issued instructions to continue descent to 10000 ft. He also corrected my call of ATIS information #2 to ATIS information #1 concerning ATIS. I repeated we had ATIS information #2 and descending to 10000 ft. First officer was on interphone when chkin with approach was accomplished and missed assigned altitude. First officer asked me if assigned altitude was 10000 ft and I was sure it was. At approximately 10700 ft, controller told us our assigned altitude was 11000 ft. Aircraft was leveled then climbed to 11000 ft. Lowest altitude observed was 10400 ft MSL, no traffic conflicts were observed, however, a departing MD88 at 10000 ft was visual at 10 O'clock, 5 mi and on TCASII, no RA. Lesson learned: if a clearance seems unusual or any doubt exists -- reconfirm!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MD88 DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING STAR ARR RESULTING IN A CONFLICTION WITH ANOTHER MD88 ON DEP.

Narrative: DSCNT ON SINCA ARR TO ATL. CHKED IN WITH ATL APCH FREQ 118.65 DSNDING THROUGH 15000 FT FOR 14000 FT TO CROSS HUSKY INTXN AT 14000 FT 250 KTS. APCH CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO 10000 FT. HE ALSO CORRECTED MY CALL OF ATIS INFO #2 TO ATIS INFO #1 CONCERNING ATIS. I REPEATED WE HAD ATIS INFO #2 AND DSNDING TO 10000 FT. FO WAS ON INTERPHONE WHEN CHKIN WITH APCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND MISSED ASSIGNED ALT. FO ASKED ME IF ASSIGNED ALT WAS 10000 FT AND I WAS SURE IT WAS. AT APPROX 10700 FT, CTLR TOLD US OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 11000 FT. ACFT WAS LEVELED THEN CLBED TO 11000 FT. LOWEST ALT OBSERVED WAS 10400 FT MSL, NO TFC CONFLICTS WERE OBSERVED, HOWEVER, A DEPARTING MD88 AT 10000 FT WAS VISUAL AT 10 O'CLOCK, 5 MI AND ON TCASII, NO RA. LESSON LEARNED: IF A CLRNC SEEMS UNUSUAL OR ANY DOUBT EXISTS -- RECONFIRM!

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.