<< >> NASA ASRS Report 515166, June 2001

Approach controller assigned a descent to altitude of 5000 ft at den during a STAR arrival contrary to the terrain elevation of not only the surrounding terrain, but the airport.

Attributes
ACN	515166
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : d01.tracon
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14600
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : ramms
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 205 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 1002
ASRS Report	515166
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was on the ramms 3 arrival into den. We were assigned to cross ramms at 17000 ft, 250 KTS. Just after crossing ramms, aircraft was slowed to 220 KTS by den approach. Approximately 25 NM northwest of dvv, den approach controller assigned air carrier X 'turn left to a heading of 110 degrees, descend and maintain 5000 ft.' PNF read back clearance, den approach never questioned, and both PF and PNF acknowledged altitude alerter. While passing 14600 ft, the same den approach controller assigned air carrier X 'descend and maintain 14000 ft.' this alerted entire crew and PNF clarified the altitude assignment with den approach. There were 2 distinct errors: crew never acknowledged the fact that 5000 was impossible at den, and the den approach controller never verified the readback. Of special note, all 3 crew members heard the controller assign 5000 ft.

Related reports:

• B767 flight crew and the pct controller involved describe th...
• TRACON controller described in detail several events surroun...
• Nct controller attempts to identify vip aircraft and is dist...
• Local controller described the confused events surrounding t...
• Enroute controller described a loss of separation event when...
• A CE750 first officer and a ZFW controller describe events s...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR ASSIGNED A DSCNT TO ALT OF 5000 FT AT DEN DURING A STAR ARR CONTRARY TO THE TERRAIN ELEVATION OF NOT ONLY THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN, BUT THE ARPT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON THE RAMMS 3 ARR INTO DEN. WE WERE ASSIGNED TO CROSS RAMMS AT 17000 FT, 250 KTS. JUST AFTER XING RAMMS, ACFT WAS SLOWED TO 220 KTS BY DEN APCH. APPROX 25 NM NW OF DVV, DEN APCH CTLR ASSIGNED ACR X 'TURN L TO A HDG OF 110 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' PNF READ BACK CLRNC, DEN APCH NEVER QUESTIONED, AND BOTH PF AND PNF ACKNOWLEDGED ALT ALERTER. WHILE PASSING 14600 FT, THE SAME DEN APCH CTLR ASSIGNED ACR X 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 14000 FT.' THIS ALERTED ENTIRE CREW AND PNF CLARIFIED THE ALT ASSIGNMENT WITH DEN APCH. THERE WERE 2 DISTINCT ERRORS: CREW NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT 5000 WAS IMPOSSIBLE AT DEN, AND THE DEN APCH CTLR NEVER VERIFIED THE READBACK. OF SPECIAL NOTE, ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS HEARD THE CTLR ASSIGN 5000 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.