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A BE9T pilot, on descent to mth, misinterped his clearance and descended to 13000 ft instead of 3000 ft, his assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 538711 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200202 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mth.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | King Air C90 E90 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 538711 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Descending into mth, I was given a descent to 13000 ft by miami. Shortly thereafter, he again cleared me to 13000 ft. He mumbled his instructions, so I came back with 'ok, verify descent to 13000 ft, one three thousand.' he said 'affirmative.' as I leveled off at 13000 ft, he said to expedite through 11000 ft. I verified altitude and he said 3000 ft. It was not a problem (this time), but this seems to be the 'norm.' controllers are constantly mumbling altitudes and moving on. When you try to clarify, they do not pay attention. They act like they have already said it once and do not need to say it again. I am not old. I am not hard of hearing, and I have good radios. This just happens far too often.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE9T PLT, ON DSCNT TO MTH, MISINTERPED HIS CLRNC AND DSNDED TO 13000 FT INSTEAD OF 3000 FT, HIS ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: DSNDING INTO MTH, I WAS GIVEN A DSCNT TO 13000 FT BY MIAMI. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE AGAIN CLRED ME TO 13000 FT. HE MUMBLED HIS INSTRUCTIONS, SO I CAME BACK WITH 'OK, VERIFY DSCNT TO 13000 FT, ONE THREE THOUSAND.' HE SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' AS I LEVELED OFF AT 13000 FT, HE SAID TO EXPEDITE THROUGH 11000 FT. I VERIFIED ALT AND HE SAID 3000 FT. IT WAS NOT A PROB (THIS TIME), BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE 'NORM.' CTLRS ARE CONSTANTLY MUMBLING ALTS AND MOVING ON. WHEN YOU TRY TO CLARIFY, THEY DO NOT PAY ATTN. THEY ACT LIKE THEY HAVE ALREADY SAID IT ONCE AND DO NOT NEED TO SAY IT AGAIN. I AM NOT OLD. I AM NOT HARD OF HEARING, AND I HAVE GOOD RADIOS. THIS JUST HAPPENS FAR TOO OFTEN.
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.