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An A320 flight climbs 600 ft above its assigned altitude when captain gets confused as to the altitude assignment from an overloaded departure controller at ord, il.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 535384 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200201 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : c90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : c90.tracon |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2121 |
| ASRS Report | 535384 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 2437 |
| ASRS Report | 535386 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 15000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departed ord runway 32L, T10 intersection. Turned left to 220 degree heading, climbing to 5000 ft and told to contact departure control 127.4. First officer flew and I was PNF. Departure controller talked way too fast giving altitudes and headings to several aircraft, one right after the other. We were cleared to 6000 ft and heading 160 degrees. I replied either 6000 ft or 16000 ft, but set 16000 ft in the MCP. Climbing through 4700 ft at 4000 FPM we got a TA from an aircraft in our 2 O'clock position, 3000 ft above. Then we broke above the clouds, saw the aircraft pass off to our right. I was trying to confirm our clearance with departure, but could not get a word in. Finally, departure said 'you are cleared to zero six thousand ft and heading 160 degrees.' as we passed 6000 ft, I called to the first officer to level off, but 16000 ft was still in the altitude window. At 6600 ft, the first officer started to descend back to 6000 ft when I asked departure again to say our clearance. He then said 'you were cleared to 6000 ft, but now you are cleared to 16000 ft and heading 140 degrees.' this all occurred in about 30-45 seconds. Supplemental information from acn 535386: the rapid-fire instructions with no time to read back made communications difficult.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 FLT CLBS 600 FT ABOVE ITS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN CAPT GETS CONFUSED AS TO THE ALT ASSIGNMENT FROM AN OVERLOADED DEP CTLR AT ORD, IL.
Narrative: DEPARTED ORD RWY 32L, T10 INTXN. TURNED L TO 220 DEG HDG, CLBING TO 5000 FT AND TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL 127.4. FO FLEW AND I WAS PNF. DEP CTLR TALKED WAY TOO FAST GIVING ALTS AND HDGS TO SEVERAL ACFT, ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER. WE WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT AND HDG 160 DEGS. I REPLIED EITHER 6000 FT OR 16000 FT, BUT SET 16000 FT IN THE MCP. CLBING THROUGH 4700 FT AT 4000 FPM WE GOT A TA FROM AN ACFT IN OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS, 3000 FT ABOVE. THEN WE BROKE ABOVE THE CLOUDS, SAW THE ACFT PASS OFF TO OUR R. I WAS TRYING TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC WITH DEP, BUT COULD NOT GET A WORD IN. FINALLY, DEP SAID 'YOU ARE CLRED TO ZERO SIX THOUSAND FT AND HDG 160 DEGS.' AS WE PASSED 6000 FT, I CALLED TO THE FO TO LEVEL OFF, BUT 16000 FT WAS STILL IN THE ALT WINDOW. AT 6600 FT, THE FO STARTED TO DSND BACK TO 6000 FT WHEN I ASKED DEP AGAIN TO SAY OUR CLRNC. HE THEN SAID 'YOU WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT, BUT NOW YOU ARE CLRED TO 16000 FT AND HDG 140 DEGS.' THIS ALL OCCURRED IN ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 535386: THE RAPID-FIRE INSTRUCTIONS WITH NO TIME TO READ BACK MADE COMS DIFFICULT.
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.