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Pilot of light aircraft makes incorrect altitude report while in arsa, leading to near midair collision.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 114773 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198906 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : elp |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : elp |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 114773 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While climbing out of the el paso arsa to the west. In small aircraft X traffic was called out to me and I was asked my climbing altitude. I misread the altimeter and replied 6500'. Almost immediately I realized that I was actually at 5500. I attempted to recontact ATC but due to the amount of radio traffic I was unable to break in. I finally transmitted my correction without ever getting an ATC response. I quickly identified traffic (Y) soon thereafter as it passed to the right. I continued to climb. The traffic reported blindly to ATC an altitude error but they were never acknowledged either. At this time I was at my reported altitude and continued to climb. I think there were several problems that can be identified which contributed to this incident. 1) I was unfamiliar with the airport area. 2) attempting to stay out of mexican airspace (following a radial). 3) traffic was called out with little time for alternate responses. 4) heavy radio traffic was responsible for me being unable to recontact ATC prior to passing the other aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF LIGHT ACFT MAKES INCORRECT ALT REPORT WHILE IN ARSA, LEADING TO NMAC.
Narrative: WHILE CLIMBING OUT OF THE EL PASO ARSA TO THE WEST. IN SMA X TFC WAS CALLED OUT TO ME AND I WAS ASKED MY CLIMBING ALT. I MISREAD THE ALTIMETER AND REPLIED 6500'. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I REALIZED THAT I WAS ACTUALLY AT 5500. I ATTEMPTED TO RECONTACT ATC BUT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF RADIO TFC I WAS UNABLE TO BREAK IN. I FINALLY TRANSMITTED MY CORRECTION WITHOUT EVER GETTING AN ATC RESPONSE. I QUICKLY IDENTIFIED TFC (Y) SOON THEREAFTER AS IT PASSED TO THE RIGHT. I CONTINUED TO CLIMB. THE TFC REPORTED BLINDLY TO ATC AN ALT ERROR BUT THEY WERE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED EITHER. AT THIS TIME I WAS AT MY REPORTED ALT AND CONTINUED TO CLIMB. I THINK THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. 1) I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AREA. 2) ATTEMPTING TO STAY OUT OF MEXICAN AIRSPACE (FOLLOWING A RADIAL). 3) TFC WAS CALLED OUT WITH LITTLE TIME FOR ALTERNATE RESPONSES. 4) HEAVY RADIO TFC WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ME BEING UNABLE TO RECONTACT ATC PRIOR TO PASSING THE OTHER ACFT.
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.