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Assigned altitude comes into question when company protocol is not followed and an ATC handoff is in progress with a possible inter facility coordination problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 530895 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200111 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zny.artcc |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10500 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time type : 933 |
| ASRS Report | 530895 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
We had some confusion with ATC on an altitude change. We were given a new altitude at the same time as a frequency change. I was flying and looked at the new altitude that the captain spun into the MCP and it said 18000 ft I asked him to confirm since I thought I heard 17000 ft. The captain switched frequency and asked the new controller to verify our cleared altitude. He said it was 10000 ft, by this time I was climbing through about 10500 ft since I was sure we were cleared to 17000 ft or at least something higher than our previous altitude of 10000 ft. I immediately descended back to 10000 ft and the captain told ATC he didnT respond at first then a short time later he cleared us up to 17000 ft. The controller didnT seem upset about this so we didnT think it was a problem. Next time I think I will stay at my last altitude until I get the confirmation on the altitude. I think the new controller just hadnT received the new altitude information from the previous controller. Next time I will make sure everyone is on the same page before climbing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ASSIGNED ALTITUDE COMES INTO QUESTION WHEN COMPANY PROTOCOL IS NOT FOLLOWED AND AN ATC HANDOFF IS IN PROGRESS WITH A POSSIBLE INTER FACILITY COORDINATION PROB.
Narrative: WE HAD SOME CONFUSION WITH ATC ON AN ALT CHANGE. WE WERE GIVEN A NEW ALT AT THE SAME TIME AS A FREQ CHANGE. I WAS FLYING AND LOOKED AT THE NEW ALT THAT THE CAPT SPUN INTO THE MCP AND IT SAID 18000 FT I ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM SINCE I THOUGHT I HEARD 17000 FT. THE CAPT SWITCHED FREQUENCY AND ASKED THE NEW CTLR TO VERIFY OUR CLRED ALTITUDE. HE SAID IT WAS 10000 FT, BY THIS TIME I WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 10500 FT SINCE I WAS SURE WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT OR AT LEAST SOMETHING HIGHER THAN OUR PREVIOUS ALTITUDE OF 10000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED BACK TO 10000 FT AND THE CAPT TOLD ATC HE DIDNT RESPOND AT FIRST THEN A SHORT TIME LATER HE CLRED US UP TO 17000 FT. THE CTLR DIDNT SEEM UPSET ABOUT THIS SO WE DIDNT THINK IT WAS A PROB. NEXT TIME I THINK I WILL STAY AT MY LAST ALTITUDE UNTIL I GET THE CONFIRMATION ON THE ALTITUDE. I THINK THE NEW CTLR JUST HADNT RECEIVED THE NEW ALTITUDE INFO FROM THE PREVIOUS CTLR. NEXT TIME I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE BEFORE CLIMBING.
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.