<< >> NASA ASRS Report 338250, June 1996

Flight crew of an large transport overshot descent altitude after being slow to descend to first descent clearance after high altitude cruise. There was a definite misunderstanding regarding the subsequent and second descent clearance starting point.

Attributes
ACN	338250
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	338250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On HYP3 arrival to sjc and first officer flying. ZOA gives us level change to FL240 from FL350. First officer descends too slow and ATC assigns us to increase descent through FL310, direct hyp, descend to 16000 ft. I read back and down we go. On the arrival passing through FL240, I notice that the normal altitude for 16000 ft is papee. I question the clearance and am told to maintain FL240. We start a climb back from FL220 and advise. ATC says ok descend to 16000 ft and claimed that FL240 was assigned and I read it back. First officer and I maintain that I acknowledged FL240 at first and later the reclred 16000 ft. We were tired after a long day but otherwise would have had ATC pull tapes to find real story. I wish ATC would not give us more than 2 altitude and clearance restrs per transmission.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT OVERSHOT DSCNT ALT AFTER BEING SLOW TO DSND TO FIRST DSCNT CLRNC AFTER HIGH ALT CRUISE. THERE WAS A DEFINITE MISUNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SUBSEQUENT AND SECOND DSCNT CLRNC STARTING POINT.

Narrative: ON HYP3 ARR TO SJC AND FO FLYING. ZOA GIVES US LEVEL CHANGE TO FL240 FROM FL350. FO DSNDS TOO SLOW AND ATC ASSIGNS US TO INCREASE DSCNT THROUGH FL310, DIRECT HYP, DSND TO 16000 FT. I READ BACK AND DOWN WE GO. ON THE ARR PASSING THROUGH FL240, I NOTICE THAT THE NORMAL ALT FOR 16000 FT IS PAPEE. I QUESTION THE CLRNC AND AM TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL240. WE START A CLB BACK FROM FL220 AND ADVISE. ATC SAYS OK DSND TO 16000 FT AND CLAIMED THAT FL240 WAS ASSIGNED AND I READ IT BACK. FO AND I MAINTAIN THAT I ACKNOWLEDGED FL240 AT FIRST AND LATER THE RECLRED 16000 FT. WE WERE TIRED AFTER A LONG DAY BUT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE HAD ATC PULL TAPES TO FIND REAL STORY. I WISH ATC WOULD NOT GIVE US MORE THAN 2 ALT AND CLRNC RESTRS PER XMISSION.

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.