A relief pilot was not sure if he heard a clearance, questions the captain who questioned ATC for pr...

Attributes
ACN	522320
Time
Date	200105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : smo.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : saddle co
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2806
ASRS Report	522320
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was relief pilot #2 and was in my seat behind the captain during the arrival. I heard the clearance to slow to 250 KTS, proceed direct to smo, and after smo fly heading 070 KTS. We had been in a long descent from FL370 to 11000 ft which was in the MCP altitude window. The copilot was hand flying the aircraft. The volume in my headset was very loud and I was switching between first officer obs and first officer when the captain announced descent to 7000 ft and pointed to 7000 ft in the MCP altitude window: first officer confirmed 7000 ft. The #1 relief pilot asked if we were cleared to 7000 ft and the captain asked approach control immediately. They told us to remain at 11000 ft. First officer stopped descent and returned to 11000 ft. Factors: 1)unusual arrival due to winds. Normally fly leena 3 from syd but we flew the saddie 6. #2) fatigue -- long flight and disrupted sleep patterns. #3) approach control use of mutli part clearance. #4) CRM worked -- #1 relief pilot questioned the altitude without hearing a clearance: captain immediately questioned approach ctrl: discrepancies were resolved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RELIEF PLT WAS NOT SURE IF HE HEARD A CLRNC, QUESTIONS THE CAPT WHO QUESTIONED ATC FOR PROPER ALT CLRNC, AND ALT EXCURSION WAS STOPPED.

Narrative: I WAS RELIEF PLT #2 AND WAS IN MY SEAT BEHIND THE CAPT DURING THE ARR. I HEARD THE CLRNC TO SLOW TO 250 KTS, PROCEED DIRECT TO SMO, AND AFTER SMO FLY HDG 070 KTS. WE HAD BEEN IN A LONG DSCNT FROM FL370 TO 11000 FT WHICH WAS IN THE MCP ALT WINDOW. THE COPLT WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT. THE VOLUME IN MY HEADSET WAS VERY LOUD AND I WAS SWITCHING BTWN FO OBS AND FO WHEN THE CAPT ANNOUNCED DSCNT TO 7000 FT AND POINTED TO 7000 FT IN THE MCP ALT WINDOW: FO CONFIRMED 7000 FT. THE #1 RELIEF PLT ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT AND THE CAPT ASKED APCH CTL IMMEDIATELY. THEY TOLD US TO REMAIN AT 11000 FT. FO STOPPED DSCNT AND RETURNED TO 11000 FT. FACTORS: 1)UNUSUAL ARR DUE TO WINDS. NORMALLY FLY LEENA 3 FROM SYD BUT WE FLEW THE SADDIE 6. #2) FATIGUE -- LONG FLT AND DISRUPTED SLEEP PATTERNS. #3) APCH CTL USE OF MUTLI PART CLRNC. #4) CRM WORKED -- #1 RELIEF PLT QUESTIONED THE ALT WITHOUT HEARING A CLRNC: CAPT IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED APCH CTRL: DISCREPANCIES WERE RESOLVED.

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.

A relief pilot was not sure if he heard a clearance, questions the captain who questioned ATC for proper altitude clearance, and altitude excursion was stopped.