<< >> NASA ASRS Report 467850, March 2000

Flight crew of an ATR42 overshot assigned descent altitude crossing fix due to misunderstanding of descent clearance.

Attributes
ACN	467850
Time
Date	200003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : hyper
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	467850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent into iad, the controller said 'cross hyper intersection by 9000 ft, descend and maintain 8000 ft.' we descended right down to 8000 ft thinking we had complied with the hyper intersection at 9000 ft restr. The controller then said he wanted us 'at' 9000 ft at hyper intersection, the robrt intersection at 8000 ft. The controller's first instructions gave us the impression we were cleared down to 8000 ft, crossing hyper intersection no higher than 9000 ft. We had 3 people in the cockpit, 1 jump seater who was captain on the same aircraft type and we all thought we were to cross hyper intersection no higher than 9000 ft. I believe the cause was just bad communication and a simple misunderstanding. No loss of separation occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ATR42 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DSCNT ALT XING FIX DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF DSCNT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO IAD, THE CTLR SAID 'CROSS HYPER INTXN BY 9000 FT, DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.' WE DSNDED RIGHT DOWN TO 8000 FT THINKING WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE HYPER INTXN AT 9000 FT RESTR. THE CTLR THEN SAID HE WANTED US 'AT' 9000 FT AT HYPER INTXN, THE ROBRT INTXN AT 8000 FT. THE CTLR'S FIRST INSTRUCTIONS GAVE US THE IMPRESSION WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 8000 FT, XING HYPER INTXN NO HIGHER THAN 9000 FT. WE HAD 3 PEOPLE IN THE COCKPIT, 1 JUMP SEATER WHO WAS CAPT ON THE SAME ACFT TYPE AND WE ALL THOUGHT WE WERE TO CROSS HYPER INTXN NO HIGHER THAN 9000 FT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE WAS JUST BAD COM AND A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION 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.