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Flight crew of A319 began descent out of FL390 to FL260 when clearance to heading of 260 degrees is misheard by the PF. PNF quickly intervened and returned aircraft to assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 595537 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : alphe |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 38600 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j70.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 595537 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Navigating on J70 at approximately intersection at FL390 ZOB gave us a heading of 260 degrees. I repeated the instructions and believed the first officer, who was flying, understood. I was in the middle of reviewing the localizer runway 25L mke when we were given the heading. Returning to the approach plate, I scanned the flight instruments and saw the aircraft was descending. I quickly took the aircraft off autoplt, promptly re-leveled at FL390 and turned to 260 degrees. The controller asked us to verify FL390. By that time, we were back at FL390 and we answered FL390. The first officer apparently mistook heading 260 degrees for FL260 and had begun a descent. It all was very quick, but I believe we had descended 300 ft or 400 ft before I returned to FL390. We all emphasize the verification of altitudes, but we can't forget to diligently verify headings also. Headings as heading changes not altitude changes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF A319 BEGAN DSCNT OUT OF FL390 TO FL260 WHEN CLRNC TO HDG OF 260 DEGS IS MISHEARD BY THE PF. PNF QUICKLY INTERVENED AND RETURNED ACFT TO ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: NAVING ON J70 AT APPROX INTXN AT FL390 ZOB GAVE US A HDG OF 260 DEGS. I REPEATED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND BELIEVED THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, UNDERSTOOD. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF REVIEWING THE LOC RWY 25L MKE WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE HDG. RETURNING TO THE APCH PLATE, I SCANNED THE FLT INSTS AND SAW THE ACFT WAS DSNDING. I QUICKLY TOOK THE ACFT OFF AUTOPLT, PROMPTLY RE-LEVELED AT FL390 AND TURNED TO 260 DEGS. THE CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY FL390. BY THAT TIME, WE WERE BACK AT FL390 AND WE ANSWERED FL390. THE FO APPARENTLY MISTOOK HDG 260 DEGS FOR FL260 AND HAD BEGUN A DSCNT. IT ALL WAS VERY QUICK, BUT I BELIEVE WE HAD DSNDED 300 FT OR 400 FT BEFORE I RETURNED TO FL390. WE ALL EMPHASIZE THE VERIFICATION OF ALTS, BUT WE CAN'T FORGET TO DILIGENTLY VERIFY HDGS ALSO. HDGS AS HDG CHANGES NOT ALT CHANGES.
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.