Air carrier PIC returns aircraft to previously left altitude after being cleared for lower altitude at pilot's discretion.

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Attributes
ACN	132199
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvc
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13600 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	132199
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other other

Narrative:

Flight segment was from dtw to mqt. After passing traverse city VOR at FL190, the right engine began to run rough. The captain told me to notify ATC to request a lower altitude 914000'). I did, and we were cleared to descend to 14000'. The captain troubleshot the problem and we felt we discovered the problem--a bad propeller sync mechanism. While at 14000', center notified us we were cleared to 13000' at pilot's discretion. While the captain was ensuring equipment was in the proper confign, I began a descent to 13000'. Neither the captain (the PNF) nor myself notified ATC that we were descending to 13000'. At approximately 13600' the captain told me to return to 14000'. I did.approximately 10 mi later we notified ATC of descent to 13000' when we left 14000' for 13000'. Rest of flight routine. Conclusions: 1) first officer's (myself) inexperience and first serious abnormal situation. 2) captain was very soft spoken and did not communicate well to the first officer what his desires and intentions were as far as when he wanted to make descent ATC had cleared us for. Captain could be classified as having a 'cold and strange' personality and hard to work with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC RETURNS ACFT TO PREVIOUSLY LEFT ALT AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR LOWER ALT AT PLT'S DISCRETION.

Narrative: FLT SEGMENT WAS FROM DTW TO MQT. AFTER PASSING TRAVERSE CITY VOR AT FL190, THE RIGHT ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE CAPT TOLD ME TO NOTIFY ATC TO REQUEST A LOWER ALT 914000'). I DID, AND WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 14000'. THE CAPT TROUBLESHOT THE PROB AND WE FELT WE DISCOVERED THE PROB--A BAD PROP SYNC MECHANISM. WHILE AT 14000', CENTER NOTIFIED US WE WERE CLRED TO 13000' AT PLT'S DISCRETION. WHILE THE CAPT WAS ENSURING EQUIP WAS IN THE PROPER CONFIGN, I BEGAN A DSCNT TO 13000'. NEITHER THE CAPT (THE PNF) NOR MYSELF NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 13000'. AT APPROX 13600' THE CAPT TOLD ME TO RETURN TO 14000'. I DID.APPROX 10 MI LATER WE NOTIFIED ATC OF DSCNT TO 13000' WHEN WE LEFT 14000' FOR 13000'. REST OF FLT ROUTINE. CONCLUSIONS: 1) F/O'S (MYSELF) INEXPERIENCE AND FIRST SERIOUS ABNORMAL SITUATION. 2) CAPT WAS VERY SOFT SPOKEN AND DID NOT COMMUNICATE WELL TO THE F/O WHAT HIS DESIRES AND INTENTIONS WERE AS FAR AS WHEN HE WANTED TO MAKE DSCNT ATC HAD CLRED US FOR. CAPT COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS HAVING A 'COLD AND STRANGE' PERSONALITY AND HARD TO WORK WITH.

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.