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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A pilot's discretion clearance that was appropriately read back by the crew is disputed by ARTCC radar controller after the descent has begun.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 510250 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200105 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bdr.vor |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3925 flight time type : 2200 |
| ASRS Report | 510250 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
During cruise flight at 9000 ft, ATC gave us pilot's discretion to 4000 ft, 'air carrier X, pilot's discretion to 4000 ft.' my first officer read back the clearance including our flight number. I began a descent at 1000 FPM. ZMP then told us to check our altimeter as we were 400 ft low and descending. The first officer told center that we had been given pilot's discretion to 4000 ft. Center disagreed, saying that clearance was for another flight. Both the first officer and I distinctly heard center give the clearance to our flight number. The first officer clearly read back the clearance with our flight number and was not challenged by ATC until we were at 8600 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PLT'S DISCRETION CLRNC THAT WAS APPROPRIATELY READ BACK BY THE CREW IS DISPUTED BY ARTCC RADAR CTLR AFTER THE DSCNT HAS BEGUN.
Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT AT 9000 FT, ATC GAVE US PLT'S DISCRETION TO 4000 FT, 'ACR X, PLT'S DISCRETION TO 4000 FT.' MY FO READ BACK THE CLRNC INCLUDING OUR FLT NUMBER. I BEGAN A DSCNT AT 1000 FPM. ZMP THEN TOLD US TO CHK OUR ALTIMETER AS WE WERE 400 FT LOW AND DSNDING. THE FO TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN PLT'S DISCRETION TO 4000 FT. CTR DISAGREED, SAYING THAT CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER FLT. BOTH THE FO AND I DISTINCTLY HEARD CTR GIVE THE CLRNC TO OUR FLT NUMBER. THE FO CLRLY READ BACK THE CLRNC WITH OUR FLT NUMBER AND WAS NOT CHALLENGED BY ATC UNTIL WE WERE AT 8600 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.