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An MD11 flight crew on the cedar lake arrival to phl leveled 300 ft high from assigned altitude. Rapidly falling pressure was a factor; as they had set altitude from phl ATIS; which was much lower than the atlantic city value.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 714939 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200610 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : brigs |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-11 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : cedar lake |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : relief pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 7949 flight time type : 844 |
| ASRS Report | 714939 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
We were on the cedar lake arrival to phl. Significant WX was moving through the area to include gusty xwinds at the airport and rapidly falling pressure. For our descent to 14000 ft I believe we were given the altimeter of 29.44 however the crew elected to use the altimeter from the most current phl ATIS which was 29.34. We leveled off 14000 ft and after a few mins at that altitude (approximately at XA22Z) ZNY reported the altimeter for atlantic city to be 29.69 and that he showed us 300 ft high. We were about 10 NM from brigs. The crew reset the altimeter and continued the descent for 300 ft. We were then handed off to ZDC (at about 6 NM from brigs) who gave us an altimeter of 29.39 and a descent to 8000 ft. At XA28Z the new ATIS for phl showed altimeter of 29.30. At XA29Z we were handed off to philly approach who gave us an altimeter of 29.27. I believe we should have used the local altimeter provided by the center controller during our arrival and update it with each handoff. I believe that our initial altimeter was 29.44 and I do not ever remember 29.69 being mentioned. I believe the rapidly falling pressure to be a factor for both our crew and the controling agencies.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD11 FLT CREW ON THE CEDAR LAKE ARR TO PHL LEVELED 300 FT HIGH FROM ASSIGNED ALT. RAPIDLY FALLING PRESSURE WAS A FACTOR; AS THEY HAD SET ALT FROM PHL ATIS; WHICH WAS MUCH LOWER THAN THE ATLANTIC CITY VALUE.
Narrative: WE WERE ON THE CEDAR LAKE ARR TO PHL. SIGNIFICANT WX WAS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA TO INCLUDE GUSTY XWINDS AT THE ARPT AND RAPIDLY FALLING PRESSURE. FOR OUR DSCNT TO 14000 FT I BELIEVE WE WERE GIVEN THE ALTIMETER OF 29.44 HOWEVER THE CREW ELECTED TO USE THE ALTIMETER FROM THE MOST CURRENT PHL ATIS WHICH WAS 29.34. WE LEVELED OFF 14000 FT AND AFTER A FEW MINS AT THAT ALT (APPROX AT XA22Z) ZNY RPTED THE ALTIMETER FOR ATLANTIC CITY TO BE 29.69 AND THAT HE SHOWED US 300 FT HIGH. WE WERE ABOUT 10 NM FROM BRIGS. THE CREW RESET THE ALTIMETER AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT FOR 300 FT. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO ZDC (AT ABOUT 6 NM FROM BRIGS) WHO GAVE US AN ALTIMETER OF 29.39 AND A DSCNT TO 8000 FT. AT XA28Z THE NEW ATIS FOR PHL SHOWED ALTIMETER OF 29.30. AT XA29Z WE WERE HANDED OFF TO PHILLY APCH WHO GAVE US AN ALTIMETER OF 29.27. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE USED THE LCL ALTIMETER PROVIDED BY THE CTR CTLR DURING OUR ARR AND UPDATE IT WITH EACH HDOF. I BELIEVE THAT OUR INITIAL ALTIMETER WAS 29.44 AND I DO NOT EVER REMEMBER 29.69 BEING MENTIONED. I BELIEVE THE RAPIDLY FALLING PRESSURE TO BE A FACTOR FOR BOTH OUR CREW AND THE CTLING AGENCIES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.