<< >> NASA ASRS Report 473240, May 2000

Air carrier questions whether they were not at their assigned altitude when that was the assertion of the controller and an onboard inspector.

Attributes
ACN	473240
Time
Date	200005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : c90.tracon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence Fog Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 14r / ord
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	473240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other other : pers 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

During approach phase at ord, controller cleared us from 7000 ft to 4000 ft. First officer read back 4000 ft and placed it in the altitude alert window. I then pointed at, and confirmed, 4000 ft. After flying level at 4000 ft for approximately 5 mins, controller told us our assigned altitude was 5000 ft and to climb back to 5000 ft. We complied and the rest of the approach and landing were non eventful. An FAA safety inspector was riding in the jump seat and he seemed to side with the controller that an altitude deviation had occurred. My question to him was, why had he not spoken up? This was also the same inspector who left his oxygen selector in 100% causing a significant delay on our next leg while the crew oxygen bottle was changed. Capts should not assume that FAA safety inspectors are all seasoned airmen, and brief accordingly. Most of the ones I see are maintenance technicians.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR QUESTIONS WHETHER THEY WERE NOT AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THAT WAS THE ASSERTION OF THE CTLR AND AN ONBOARD INSPECTOR.

Narrative: DURING APCH PHASE AT ORD, CTLR CLRED US FROM 7000 FT TO 4000 FT. FO READ BACK 4000 FT AND PLACED IT IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. I THEN POINTED AT, AND CONFIRMED, 4000 FT. AFTER FLYING LEVEL AT 4000 FT FOR APPROX 5 MINS, CTLR TOLD US OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 5000 FT AND TO CLB BACK TO 5000 FT. WE COMPLIED AND THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NON EVENTFUL. AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR WAS RIDING IN THE JUMP SEAT AND HE SEEMED TO SIDE WITH THE CTLR THAT AN ALTDEV HAD OCCURRED. MY QUESTION TO HIM WAS, WHY HAD HE NOT SPOKEN UP? THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME INSPECTOR WHO LEFT HIS OXYGEN SELECTOR IN 100% CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT DELAY ON OUR NEXT LEG WHILE THE CREW OXYGEN BOTTLE WAS CHANGED. CAPTS SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT FAA SAFETY INSPECTORS ARE ALL SEASONED AIRMEN, AND BRIEF ACCORDINGLY. MOST OF THE ONES I SEE ARE MAINT TECHNICIANS.

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.