<< >> NASA ASRS Report 227351, November 1992

An light transport air carrier misunderstood a vector heading for an altitude assignment. There was bickering between the first officer and TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	227351
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	227351
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem was, as PF, I misinterpreted an assignment to a heading of 200 degree as an assignment to descend to 2000 ft. The problem arose due to the first officer bickering with the approach controller who would not provide a visual approach clearance after we had advised the field in sight twice. I contribute both my misinterp of the issued clearance and the first officer's short temper to both crew members flying up to the legal maximum flight hours with the legal min rest. I still fail to understand why pilots operating under part 135 who work more often and twice as hard as pilots operating under part 121 should be allowed to fly more on less rest.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT ACR MISUNDERSTOOD A VECTOR HDG FOR AN ALT ASSIGNMENT. THERE WAS BICKERING BTWN THE FO AND TRACON.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM WAS, AS PF, I MISINTERPRETED AN ASSIGNMENT TO A HDG OF 200 DEG AS AN ASSIGNMENT TO DSND TO 2000 FT. THE PROBLEM AROSE DUE TO THE FO BICKERING WITH THE APCH CTLR WHO WOULD NOT PROVIDE A VISUAL APCH CLRNC AFTER WE HAD ADVISED THE FIELD IN SIGHT TWICE. I CONTRIBUTE BOTH MY MISINTERP OF THE ISSUED CLRNC AND THE FO'S SHORT TEMPER TO BOTH CREW MEMBERS FLYING UP TO THE LEGAL MAX FLT HRS WITH THE LEGAL MIN REST. I STILL FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY PLTS OPERATING UNDER PART 135 WHO WORK MORE OFTEN AND TWICE AS HARD AS PLTS OPERATING UNDER PART 121 SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLY MORE ON LESS REST.

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.