<< >> NASA ASRS Report 328220, February 1996

3 flight crew rptrs state that the altitude read back on the descent clearance was 3000 ft. Approach controller intervened when aircraft was at 5800 ft stating that the clearance was to 7000 ft, but they were then cleared to 5000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	328220
Time
Date	199602
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5800 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	328220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	328222
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At approximately 20 NM southeast of ord we heard ord approach control give us a clearance out of 11000 ft to 3000 ft. I read back 3000 ft and the first officer verbally acknowledged 3000 ft as per company procedures. At approximately 5800 ft he asked 'xx, where are you going?' I thought he was referring to location on the ground and I indicated we were going to the cargo ramp. He then indicated we were cleared only to 7000 ft, but that we were now cleared to 5000 ft. I told him that I read back 3000 ft and he mumbled something I didn't understand. No further discussion occurred. The controller was working at least one other frequency, I believe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 FLC RPTRS STATE THAT THE ALT READ BACK ON THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS 3000 FT. APCH CTLR INTERVENED WHEN ACFT WAS AT 5800 FT STATING THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO 7000 FT, BUT THEY WERE THEN CLRED TO 5000 FT.

Narrative: AT APPROX 20 NM SE OF ORD WE HEARD ORD APCH CTL GIVE US A CLRNC OUT OF 11000 FT TO 3000 FT. I READ BACK 3000 FT AND THE FO VERBALLY ACKNOWLEDGED 3000 FT AS PER COMPANY PROCS. AT APPROX 5800 FT HE ASKED 'XX, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' I THOUGHT HE WAS REFERRING TO LOCATION ON THE GND AND I INDICATED WE WERE GOING TO THE CARGO RAMP. HE THEN INDICATED WE WERE CLRED ONLY TO 7000 FT, BUT THAT WE WERE NOW CLRED TO 5000 FT. I TOLD HIM THAT I READ BACK 3000 FT AND HE MUMBLED SOMETHING I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OCCURRED. THE CTLR WAS WORKING AT LEAST ONE OTHER FREQ, I BELIEVE.

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.