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An air carrier flight crew flying an MD88 maneuvering for the approach at atl reports a misunderstanding with ATC regarding an altitude assignment and then a TCASII TA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 487700 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200010 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl.airport |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl.tracon tower : hwo.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 487700 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : became reoriented |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9000 vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
On arrival into atl our last assigned altitude was 5000 ft. As we were descending ATC gave us a speed reduction to 170 KTS. As we were on base nearing turn to final, approach asked us to increase descent, we were at 5500 ft. We informed them it was difficult to slow down and go down at same time, but that we would do our best. We hurried to 5000 ft and leveled off. About 30 seconds later approach asked if we had leveled off at 5000 ft. We answered yes, and were then informed we had been cleared to 3500 ft and that traffic on base leg to the north complex was converging at 5400 ft. We then received a TA from TCASII. We had the aircraft visually the entire time. We believe as a crew that the last clearance we had received was to 5000 ft not to 3500 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING AN MD88 MANEUVERING FOR THE APCH AT ATL RPTS A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH ATC REGARDING AN ALT ASSIGNMENT AND THEN A TCASII TA.
Narrative: ON ARR INTO ATL OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 5000 FT. AS WE WERE DSNDING ATC GAVE US A SPD REDUCTION TO 170 KTS. AS WE WERE ON BASE NEARING TURN TO FINAL, APCH ASKED US TO INCREASE DSCNT, WE WERE AT 5500 FT. WE INFORMED THEM IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SLOW DOWN AND GO DOWN AT SAME TIME, BUT THAT WE WOULD DO OUR BEST. WE HURRIED TO 5000 FT AND LEVELED OFF. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER APCH ASKED IF WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT. WE ANSWERED YES, AND WERE THEN INFORMED WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 3500 FT AND THAT TFC ON BASE LEG TO THE N COMPLEX WAS CONVERGING AT 5400 FT. WE THEN RECEIVED A TA FROM TCASII. WE HAD THE ACFT VISUALLY THE ENTIRE TIME. WE BELIEVE AS A CREW THAT THE LAST CLRNC WE HAD RECEIVED WAS TO 5000 FT NOT TO 3500 FT.
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.