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Flight crew of large transport on approach to dca observed traffic that appeared to be too close in altitude. Approach controller advised transponder was reading 1000' low.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 128843 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dca |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute airway : dca |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 180 |
| ASRS Report | 128843 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 129093 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Received a clearance from FL230 to 15,000, given altimeter setting. Given a crossing restriction 5 west of armel at 8000'. Altimeter given and read back. Due to strong winds (tail) clearance required quick descent to meet. Winds were tailwind at 130 KTS. They gave us a frequency change to approach at dca and were unable to contact initially DOE to frequency congestion. We reported leveling 8000 and I then pointed out traffic to rest of crew and we questioned controller about a 12 O'clock near our altitude. Controller questioned our altitude and we reported level 8000'. Controller then said our mode C was reporting 1000' low and to turn it off. That we did and normal landing dca. The pressure in the area was much lower than standard due to a low pressure area moving rapidly from great lakes to northeast USA.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ON APCH TO DCA OBSERVED TRAFFIC THAT APPEARED TO BE TOO CLOSE IN ALT. APCH CTLR ADVISED TRANSPONDER WAS READING 1000' LOW.
Narrative: RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM FL230 TO 15,000, GIVEN ALTIMETER SETTING. GIVEN A XING RESTRICTION 5 W OF ARMEL AT 8000'. ALTIMETER GIVEN AND READ BACK. DUE TO STRONG WINDS (TAIL) CLRNC REQUIRED QUICK DSCNT TO MEET. WINDS WERE TAILWIND AT 130 KTS. THEY GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO APCH AT DCA AND WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT INITIALLY DOE TO FREQ CONGESTION. WE REPORTED LEVELING 8000 AND I THEN POINTED OUT TFC TO REST OF CREW AND WE QUESTIONED CTLR ABOUT A 12 O'CLOCK NEAR OUR ALT. CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND WE REPORTED LEVEL 8000'. CTLR THEN SAID OUR MODE C WAS REPORTING 1000' LOW AND TO TURN IT OFF. THAT WE DID AND NORMAL LNDG DCA. THE PRESSURE IN THE AREA WAS MUCH LOWER THAN STANDARD DUE TO A LOW PRESSURE AREA MOVING RAPIDLY FROM GREAT LAKES TO NE USA.
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.