Altitude overshoot near rsw, fl.

Attributes
ACN	490540
Time
Date	200011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rsw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon tower : lga.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	490540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	490398
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC gives clearance, 'after coral, fly heading 140 degrees and descend to xx ft.' we believe ATC said to descend to 4000 ft MSL while on the 140 degree heading. We believe we read back the directive '...after coral, 140 degree heading and down to 4000 ft MSL.' we put 4000 ft MSL in the autoplt/altitude alert window (autoplt is 'engaged' and 'altitude select' is 'armed' and working). As we leveled at 4000 ft MSL, ATC inquired about our altitude, to which we replied '4000 ft MSL.' ATC said we 'should have leveled at 5000 ft MSL, but that was ok as there was no traffic in our immediate vicinity, so go ahead and descend to 3000 ft MSL.' the crew inquired each other about the previous altitude clearance and we were not able to ascertain that ATC limited our descent to 5000 ft MSL. After deplaning the aircraft, the captain contacted the ATC controller to confer about the confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT NEAR RSW, FL.

Narrative: ATC GIVES CLRNC, 'AFTER CORAL, FLY HDG 140 DEGS AND DSND TO XX FT.' WE BELIEVE ATC SAID TO DSND TO 4000 FT MSL WHILE ON THE 140 DEG HDG. WE BELIEVE WE READ BACK THE DIRECTIVE '...AFTER CORAL, 140 DEG HDG AND DOWN TO 4000 FT MSL.' WE PUT 4000 FT MSL IN THE AUTOPLT/ALT ALERT WINDOW (AUTOPLT IS 'ENGAGED' AND 'ALT SELECT' IS 'ARMED' AND WORKING). AS WE LEVELED AT 4000 FT MSL, ATC INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT, TO WHICH WE REPLIED '4000 FT MSL.' ATC SAID WE 'SHOULD HAVE LEVELED AT 5000 FT MSL, BUT THAT WAS OK AS THERE WAS NO TFC IN OUR IMMEDIATE VICINITY, SO GO AHEAD AND DSND TO 3000 FT MSL.' THE CREW INQUIRED EACH OTHER ABOUT THE PREVIOUS ALT CLRNC AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT ATC LIMITED OUR DSCNT TO 5000 FT MSL. AFTER DEPLANING THE ACFT, THE CAPT CONTACTED THE ATC CTLR TO CONFER ABOUT THE CONFUSION.

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.