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Air carrier flight crew attempt to verify altitude clearance which was partially blocked. Unable due to frequency congestion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 126749 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : grr |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 126749 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Cleared for descent by ZAU, what I copied as 20 west of grr VOR at FL240, however transmission was partially blocked. Copilot tried to reverify altitude cleared to but center was extremely busy and copilot could not get back on radio. As I leveled at FL240 we finally were able again to talk to the controller, who stated we were originally cleared to FL220, which I quickly did. No further comments from the controller or us, but I believe he realized how busy the frequency had been. Recommend at least 1 more controller in that area as chicago traffic keeps one controller busy, let along milwaukee arrs also.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FLT CREW ATTEMPT TO VERIFY ALT CLRNC WHICH WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED. UNABLE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION.
Narrative: CLRED FOR DSCNT BY ZAU, WHAT I COPIED AS 20 W OF GRR VOR AT FL240, HOWEVER XMISSION WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED. COPLT TRIED TO REVERIFY ALT CLRED TO BUT CENTER WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND COPLT COULD NOT GET BACK ON RADIO. AS I LEVELED AT FL240 WE FINALLY WERE ABLE AGAIN TO TALK TO THE CTLR, WHO STATED WE WERE ORIGINALLY CLRED TO FL220, WHICH I QUICKLY DID. NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE CTLR OR US, BUT I BELIEVE HE REALIZED HOW BUSY THE FREQ HAD BEEN. RECOMMEND AT LEAST 1 MORE CTLR IN THAT AREA AS CHICAGO TFC KEEPS ONE CTLR BUSY, LET ALONG MILWAUKEE ARRS ALSO.
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.