Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation non adherence to ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	100086
Time
Date	198812
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mbj
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mkjp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	100086
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 6200
ASRS Report	100077
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

En route gcm-mbj kingston center cleared us to 9000'. Several mins later kingston center cleared us to mobar intersection and frost arrival. We acknowledged 'frost arrival--mobar.' having received 'frost arrival' clearance we began descent to 6000' as published in anticipation of mobar 3000' requirement. During descent to comply with frost arrival descent restrictions, kingston center queried our altitude and stated we should have maintained 9000'. We stated and went to 6000' as per frost arrival procedure as cleared. Kingston center said we were wrong to have left 9000'. Apparently kingston center does not understand that frost arrival clearance constitutes not only navigation information, but also published altitudes 'unless otherwise instructed.' kingston issued no such instructions. The whole affair is a frequent happening en route to mbj (so say the lcls!). A misunderstanding of ATC standard procedure at kingston.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE GCM-MBJ KINGSTON CENTER CLRED US TO 9000'. SEVERAL MINS LATER KINGSTON CENTER CLRED US TO MOBAR INTXN AND FROST ARR. WE ACKNOWLEDGED 'FROST ARR--MOBAR.' HAVING RECEIVED 'FROST ARR' CLRNC WE BEGAN DSCNT TO 6000' AS PUBLISHED IN ANTICIPATION OF MOBAR 3000' REQUIREMENT. DURING DSCNT TO COMPLY WITH FROST ARR DSCNT RESTRICTIONS, KINGSTON CENTER QUERIED OUR ALT AND STATED WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED 9000'. WE STATED AND WENT TO 6000' AS PER FROST ARR PROC AS CLRED. KINGSTON CENTER SAID WE WERE WRONG TO HAVE LEFT 9000'. APPARENTLY KINGSTON CENTER DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THAT FROST ARR CLRNC CONSTITUTES NOT ONLY NAV INFO, BUT ALSO PUBLISHED ALTS 'UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED.' KINGSTON ISSUED NO SUCH INSTRUCTIONS. THE WHOLE AFFAIR IS A FREQUENT HAPPENING ENRTE TO MBJ (SO SAY THE LCLS!). A MISUNDERSTANDING OF ATC STANDARD PROC AT KINGSTON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.