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Boston center controller reported an aircraft descended below the clearance limit which caused an airspace violation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1597656 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZBW.ARTCC |
| State Reference | NH |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 10 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
I had given aircraft X direct provi; then a while later gave him the descend via clearance. I noticed he started down pretty early so I was watching to make sure I didn't lose spacing with the aircraft behind him. He asked about the speeds on the arrival and I told him to use the published speeds. As he got close to 11;000 feet I asked him his airspeed because I was losing spacing. I then noticed that his altitude went to 10;700 (and the lowest they are supposed to descend is 11;000). I told him to climb and maintain 11;000; got the readback; and then told him the bottom altitude he should be descending to between there and krann was 11;000. He responded that he got that now. I didn't point him out to providence approach because I thought climbing him was more important; and by the time I issued the climb and got the readback he was out of their airspace again. I called boston approach to let them know to keep an eye on him; then I switched him. I realize now that I never gave him the descend via clearance again. There is still a lot of confusion for pilots about descend via procedures. I think they still need better training; especially when it comes to speeds. They still ask us about speeds all the time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Boston Center Controller reported an aircraft descended below the clearance limit which caused an airspace violation.
Narrative: I had given Aircraft X direct PROVI; then a while later gave him the descend via clearance. I noticed he started down pretty early so I was watching to make sure I didn't lose spacing with the aircraft behind him. He asked about the speeds on the arrival and I told him to use the published speeds. As he got close to 11;000 feet I asked him his airspeed because I was losing spacing. I then noticed that his altitude went to 10;700 (and the lowest they are supposed to descend is 11;000). I told him to climb and maintain 11;000; got the readback; and then told him the bottom altitude he should be descending to between there and KRANN was 11;000. He responded that he got that now. I didn't point him out to Providence Approach because I thought climbing him was more important; and by the time I issued the climb and got the readback he was out of their airspace again. I called Boston Approach to let them know to keep an eye on him; then I switched him. I realize now that I never gave him the descend via clearance again. There is still a lot of confusion for pilots about descend via procedures. I think they still need better training; especially when it comes to speeds. They still ask us about speeds all the time.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.