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Altitude deviation on approach results in conflict with small aircraft transiting the area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 176230 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199104 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abq |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : abq |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 970 |
| ASRS Report | 176230 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We had been flying abw-fmn all day. This was our ninth leg. Aircraft was unpressurized. We were cruising at 11500' MSL and conditions were choppy and turbulent. Aircraft had altitude alert but volume was very low in this particular aircraft. We were told to maintain 9000 ft and were on a vector (eastbound) for a right downwind to runway 26. Opposite direction traffic was an small aircraft at 9000 ft also. I believe the controller intended to descend the small aircraft to pass below us. Normally we stay at 9000 ft until clear of the coubel eagle ii airport traffic pattern and then we are given 8500 ft. The captain descended through 9000 ft to 8500 ft. The altitude alert sounded but we either didn't notice it or misinterpreted it as 1000' to go. Approach called and stated 'I wanted you to stay at 9000 ft, maintain 8500 ft.' he then told the small aircraft to maintain 9000 ft. The small aircraft passed directly overhead a couple of mins later. We were not told to call the tower or anyone else when we landed. I don't know if this was considered a conflict or not. Contributing factors were definitely the long day (shift began at 15 am), fatigue (unpressurized, turbulence) and expectations (fifth time we had done this leg today).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALT DEVIATION ON APCH RESULTS IN CONFLICT WITH SMA TRANSITING THE AREA.
Narrative: WE HAD BEEN FLYING ABW-FMN ALL DAY. THIS WAS OUR NINTH LEG. ACFT WAS UNPRESSURIZED. WE WERE CRUISING AT 11500' MSL AND CONDITIONS WERE CHOPPY AND TURBULENT. ACFT HAD ALT ALERT BUT VOLUME WAS VERY LOW IN THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AND WERE ON A VECTOR (EBND) FOR A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 26. OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC WAS AN SMA AT 9000 FT ALSO. I BELIEVE THE CTLR INTENDED TO DSND THE SMA TO PASS BELOW US. NORMALLY WE STAY AT 9000 FT UNTIL CLR OF THE COUBEL EAGLE II ARPT TFC PATTERN AND THEN WE ARE GIVEN 8500 FT. THE CAPT DSNDED THROUGH 9000 FT TO 8500 FT. THE ALT ALERT SOUNDED BUT WE EITHER DIDN'T NOTICE IT OR MISINTERPRETED IT AS 1000' TO GO. APCH CALLED AND STATED 'I WANTED YOU TO STAY AT 9000 FT, MAINTAIN 8500 FT.' HE THEN TOLD THE SMA TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT. THE SMA PASSED DIRECTLY OVERHEAD A COUPLE OF MINS LATER. WE WERE NOT TOLD TO CALL THE TWR OR ANYONE ELSE WHEN WE LANDED. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS CONSIDERED A CONFLICT OR NOT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE DEFINITELY THE LONG DAY (SHIFT BEGAN AT 15 AM), FATIGUE (UNPRESSURIZED, TURB) AND EXPECTATIONS (FIFTH TIME WE HAD DONE THIS LEG TODAY).
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.