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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Light aircraft pilot descended through assigned altitude. Controller intervened and assigned lower altitude due to traffic conflict.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 325470 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199601 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sbn airport : ekm |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sbn |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : sbn |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 2250 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 325470 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was inbound to ekm. This is controled by south bend approach. Sbn and ekm were both reporting low IFR in fog (200-300 ft ceilings and 1/4 - 1 mi visibility). Tops were around 2000-2500 ft MSL. I was approaching from the west at 5500 ft MSL. I called sbn approach 40 mi west and requested and received an IFR clearance to ekm. I understood the controller to assign 4000 ft MSL. I read back 'descend to 4000 ft.' I considered this strange at the time because I was eastbound and had expected an odd altitude consistent with my direction of flight. A few mins later, the controller asked me my altitude. I told him I was level at 4000 ft. He told me I had been cleared to 5000 ft, not 4000 ft, and to descend to 3000 ft due to traffic conflict. I am not aware of how close the conflict was or the type of plane involved. Obviously, without reviewing the tape, I cannot be certain the controller cleared me to 4000 ft rather than 5000 ft. However, I am certain that I read back 4000 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LIGHT ACFT PLT DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT. CTLR INTERVENED AND ASSIGNED LOWER ALT DUE TO TFC CONFLICT.
Narrative: I WAS INBOUND TO EKM. THIS IS CTLED BY SOUTH BEND APCH. SBN AND EKM WERE BOTH RPTING LOW IFR IN FOG (200-300 FT CEILINGS AND 1/4 - 1 MI VISIBILITY). TOPS WERE AROUND 2000-2500 FT MSL. I WAS APCHING FROM THE W AT 5500 FT MSL. I CALLED SBN APCH 40 MI W AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC TO EKM. I UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR TO ASSIGN 4000 FT MSL. I READ BACK 'DSND TO 4000 FT.' I CONSIDERED THIS STRANGE AT THE TIME BECAUSE I WAS EBOUND AND HAD EXPECTED AN ODD ALT CONSISTENT WITH MY DIRECTION OF FLT. A FEW MINS LATER, THE CTLR ASKED ME MY ALT. I TOLD HIM I WAS LEVEL AT 4000 FT. HE TOLD ME I HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT, NOT 4000 FT, AND TO DSND TO 3000 FT DUE TO TFC CONFLICT. I AM NOT AWARE OF HOW CLOSE THE CONFLICT WAS OR THE TYPE OF PLANE INVOLVED. OBVIOUSLY, WITHOUT REVIEWING THE TAPE, I CANNOT BE CERTAIN THE CTLR CLRED ME TO 4000 FT RATHER THAN 5000 FT. HOWEVER, I AM CERTAIN THAT I READ BACK 4000 FT.
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.