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After accepting a clearance to climb 4000 ft in 4 mins, an RJ85 crew determined after three and one half mins they would be unable to make the climb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 601196 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200311 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bkw.vortac |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 32500 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | BAe 146 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 601196 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : separated traffic |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While cruising at FL290, we were assigned FL330. The controller then asked how long it would take for us to climb to FL330 from FL290. The captain responded by saying 4 mins. As we were climbing through FL320 it had already been 3 1/2 mins and we were only climbing at 500 FPM. We could not increase our rate of climb because we had already reached our minimum climb speed for our altitude and weight. The captain called ATC and reported that we would not be able to reach FL330 in the requested 4 mins. As we were climbing through FL325, the controller kept asking us if we were level at FL330. He repeated this question 3 times while we were trying to get back with him. He also turned a nearby flight 15 degrees right for spacing. We did not get any RA's or TA's from our TCASII, so we were not sure how close we were. But judging by the controller's tone of voice, we thought that there might have been a loss of separation. Looking back at this situation, I should have been more assertive with the captain when he said it would only take 4 mins for us to climb to FL330. We could have then let the controller know that we were unable to do what was requested and this situation could have been avoided.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AFTER ACCEPTING A CLRNC TO CLB 4000 FT IN 4 MINS, AN RJ85 CREW DETERMINED AFTER THREE AND ONE HALF MINS THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE CLB.
Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL290, WE WERE ASSIGNED FL330. THE CTLR THEN ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO CLB TO FL330 FROM FL290. THE CAPT RESPONDED BY SAYING 4 MINS. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL320 IT HAD ALREADY BEEN 3 1/2 MINS AND WE WERE ONLY CLBING AT 500 FPM. WE COULD NOT INCREASE OUR RATE OF CLB BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY REACHED OUR MINIMUM CLB SPD FOR OUR ALT AND WT. THE CAPT CALLED ATC AND RPTED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FL330 IN THE REQUESTED 4 MINS. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL325, THE CTLR KEPT ASKING US IF WE WERE LEVEL AT FL330. HE REPEATED THIS QUESTION 3 TIMES WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO GET BACK WITH HIM. HE ALSO TURNED A NEARBY FLT 15 DEGS R FOR SPACING. WE DID NOT GET ANY RA'S OR TA'S FROM OUR TCASII, SO WE WERE NOT SURE HOW CLOSE WE WERE. BUT JUDGING BY THE CTLR'S TONE OF VOICE, WE THOUGHT THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LOSS OF SEPARATION. LOOKING BACK AT THIS SIT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE WITH THE CAPT WHEN HE SAID IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 4 MINS FOR US TO CLB TO FL330. WE COULD HAVE THEN LET THE CTLR KNOW THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DO WHAT WAS REQUESTED AND THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
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.