CFIT near hayden, co.

Attributes
ACN	470196
Time
Date	200004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hdn.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 84.1 flight time total : 2439.1 flight time type : 865.5
ASRS Report	470196
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rado altimeter terrain warning other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We proceeded to hdn and naved via direct because of our FMS. As we approached hdn from the southwest, we were approximately about 20 mins away and finally received the WX. The WX at hdn was 1 mi, 100 ft overcast and temperature of -1 degree. We were cleared in the descent to 17000 ft. Before we reached 17000 ft we were then cleared to 16000 ft. I dialed in 16000 ft in our altitude alerter in which my first officer acknowledged that he heard 16000 ft. I told my first officer that I was going off the radio to brief the passenger on what our options were for getting into hdn. I gave my first officer control of the aircraft. Then, I took my headset off to brief the passenger on the current WX and that we could shoot the approach one time. Then we would have to go to gjt to refuel and assess the WX. They said that was fine. I turned back around and put my headset back on. My first officer told me we were now cleared down to 10000 ft and he gave me back control of the aircraft. We leveled off at 10000 ft and started to brief the ILS into hdn. I looked up to see that my radar altimeter started to read 1500 ft and was descending. I immediately knew something was wrong and started to climb. As soon as I started to increase the power and pitch up, our terrain warning started to go off and 1 second later, ZDV asked what altitude we were at currently. My first officer responded that we were at 10000 ft and climbing. Center told us to climb immediately to 12000 ft. We reached 12000 ft very quickly and leveled off. ZDV said we were supposed to be at 12000 ft and my first officer said he read back 10000 ft and center never corrected him. ZDV said we would have been all right because the MOCA in our area was 10000 ft. I believe this incident came about because of a breakdown in communication between our aircraft and ZDV. My first officer swears that he read back 10000 ft and ZDV never corrected him. Other factors contributing to this were that I was off the radio and briefing the passenger on the current situation and was not able to verify what ZDV said or what my copilot responded with. I think in future sits that when I take my headset off I will turn the overhead speaker on and listen in the backgnd for radio communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFIT NEAR HAYDEN, CO.

Narrative: WE PROCEEDED TO HDN AND NAVED VIA DIRECT BECAUSE OF OUR FMS. AS WE APCHED HDN FROM THE SW, WE WERE APPROX ABOUT 20 MINS AWAY AND FINALLY RECEIVED THE WX. THE WX AT HDN WAS 1 MI, 100 FT OVCST AND TEMP OF -1 DEG. WE WERE CLRED IN THE DSCNT TO 17000 FT. BEFORE WE REACHED 17000 FT WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 16000 FT. I DIALED IN 16000 FT IN OUR ALT ALERTER IN WHICH MY FO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HEARD 16000 FT. I TOLD MY FO THAT I WAS GOING OFF THE RADIO TO BRIEF THE PAX ON WHAT OUR OPTIONS WERE FOR GETTING INTO HDN. I GAVE MY FO CTL OF THE ACFT. THEN, I TOOK MY HEADSET OFF TO BRIEF THE PAX ON THE CURRENT WX AND THAT WE COULD SHOOT THE APCH ONE TIME. THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO GJT TO REFUEL AND ASSESS THE WX. THEY SAID THAT WAS FINE. I TURNED BACK AROUND AND PUT MY HEADSET BACK ON. MY FO TOLD ME WE WERE NOW CLRED DOWN TO 10000 FT AND HE GAVE ME BACK CTL OF THE ACFT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT AND STARTED TO BRIEF THE ILS INTO HDN. I LOOKED UP TO SEE THAT MY RADAR ALTIMETER STARTED TO READ 1500 FT AND WAS DSNDING. I IMMEDIATELY KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND STARTED TO CLB. AS SOON AS I STARTED TO INCREASE THE PWR AND PITCH UP, OUR TERRAIN WARNING STARTED TO GO OFF AND 1 SECOND LATER, ZDV ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE AT CURRENTLY. MY FO RESPONDED THAT WE WERE AT 10000 FT AND CLBING. CTR TOLD US TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 12000 FT. WE REACHED 12000 FT VERY QUICKLY AND LEVELED OFF. ZDV SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 12000 FT AND MY FO SAID HE READ BACK 10000 FT AND CTR NEVER CORRECTED HIM. ZDV SAID WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL RIGHT BECAUSE THE MOCA IN OUR AREA WAS 10000 FT. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A BREAKDOWN IN COM BTWN OUR ACFT AND ZDV. MY FO SWEARS THAT HE READ BACK 10000 FT AND ZDV NEVER CORRECTED HIM. OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WERE THAT I WAS OFF THE RADIO AND BRIEFING THE PAX ON THE CURRENT SIT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY WHAT ZDV SAID OR WHAT MY COPLT RESPONDED WITH. I THINK IN FUTURE SITS THAT WHEN I TAKE MY HEADSET OFF I WILL TURN THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER ON AND LISTEN IN THE BACKGND FOR RADIO COMS.

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.