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DC9 crew confirmed their cleared altitude. The ARTCC radar controller thought they were asking about their filed altitude instead.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 631181 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200409 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : psb.vortac |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 631181 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time total : 12000 |
| ASRS Report | 630877 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Originally assigned to FL310 then told to stop at FL290, frequency change and told to fly 270 degrees for ape VOR. Told controller we were /india equipped, (normally filed /a) and could go direct ape. Controller said no, just fly 270 degree heading for now. We were just beginning to level at FL290 when I became unsure if I had the correct altitude in the window and asked controller 'say assigned altitude for air carrier X.' controller responded 'FL310' which I read back 'roger FL310.' set this altitude in the window, and continued climb to FL310. At about FL306, controller said 'air carrier X, I thought you asked me filed altitude not assigned altitude, descend to FL280.' we then descended to FL280. There were no conflicts reported by the controller or TCASII or visual.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DC9 CREW CONFIRMED THEIR CLRED ALT. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR THOUGHT THEY WERE ASKING ABOUT THEIR FILED ALT INSTEAD.
Narrative: ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED TO FL310 THEN TOLD TO STOP AT FL290, FREQ CHANGE AND TOLD TO FLY 270 DEGS FOR APE VOR. TOLD CTLR WE WERE /INDIA EQUIPPED, (NORMALLY FILED /A) AND COULD GO DIRECT APE. CTLR SAID NO, JUST FLY 270 DEG HDG FOR NOW. WE WERE JUST BEGINNING TO LEVEL AT FL290 WHEN I BECAME UNSURE IF I HAD THE CORRECT ALT IN THE WINDOW AND ASKED CTLR 'SAY ASSIGNED ALT FOR ACR X.' CTLR RESPONDED 'FL310' WHICH I READ BACK 'ROGER FL310.' SET THIS ALT IN THE WINDOW, AND CONTINUED CLB TO FL310. AT ABOUT FL306, CTLR SAID 'ACR X, I THOUGHT YOU ASKED ME FILED ALT NOT ASSIGNED ALT, DSND TO FL280.' WE THEN DSNDED TO FL280. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS RPTED BY THE CTLR OR TCASII OR VISUAL.
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.