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Large transport flight crew overshot intermediate altitude due to a high rate of descent established to make original crossing restr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 536515 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200201 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : stros |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27700 msl bound upper : 28400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 536515 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On descent to cross stros fix at 10000 ft. Given direct to stros, thus making us high. Descending at 4000-5000 FPM to make crossing restr. Controller tells us to level at FL270 for traffic when we are at FL300 (approximately) and we agree. Controller then changes his mind and tells us to level at FL280. We were at FL284 and I immediately engaged altitude hold but when descent rate is 4000+ FPM the aircraft will not level that fast. We were at FL277 when queried about our altitude. Apparently we came within 700 ft of another aircraft. In retrospect, our immediate response to controller when asked to level at FL280 should have been: 'unable.' controller was apparently unaware that we were descending at 4000+ FPM or didn't understand aircraft capabilities.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LGT FLC OVERSHOT INTERMEDIATE ALT DUE TO A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT ESTABLISHED TO MAKE ORIGINAL XING RESTR.
Narrative: ON DSCNT TO CROSS STROS FIX AT 10000 FT. GIVEN DIRECT TO STROS, THUS MAKING US HIGH. DSNDING AT 4000-5000 FPM TO MAKE XING RESTR. CTLR TELLS US TO LEVEL AT FL270 FOR TFC WHEN WE ARE AT FL300 (APPROX) AND WE AGREE. CTLR THEN CHANGES HIS MIND AND TELLS US TO LEVEL AT FL280. WE WERE AT FL284 AND I IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED ALT HOLD BUT WHEN DSCNT RATE IS 4000+ FPM THE ACFT WILL NOT LEVEL THAT FAST. WE WERE AT FL277 WHEN QUERIED ABOUT OUR ALT. APPARENTLY WE CAME WITHIN 700 FT OF ANOTHER ACFT. IN RETROSPECT, OUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO CTLR WHEN ASKED TO LEVEL AT FL280 SHOULD HAVE BEEN: 'UNABLE.' CTLR WAS APPARENTLY UNAWARE THAT WE WERE DSNDING AT 4000+ FPM OR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ACFT CAPABILITIES.
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.