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Altitude deviation. Miscom between flight crew led to descent without clearance. Reporter first officer says he told the captain it was time to descend, the captain was off frequency obtaining ATIS, so first officer started descending. Reporter captain saw the descent and tool control of aircraft. Medium large transport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 339825 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lih |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25300 msl bound upper : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhn tower : lft |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zhn |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 190 |
| ASRS Report | 339825 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 339830 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | 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:
While PNF was copying destination ATIS with head down, PF mistakenly thought descent clearance had been received and began en route descent, PNF took control and leveled at 700 ft below assigned cruise altitude and climbed back to FL260. No conflict occurred with any aircraft. Event could have been prevented if PF had said 'starting down' or something similar prior to beginning descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALTDEV. MISCOM BTWN FLC LED TO DSCNT WITHOUT CLRNC. RPTR FO SAYS HE TOLD THE CAPT IT WAS TIME TO DSND, THE CAPT WAS OFF FREQ OBTAINING ATIS, SO FO STARTED DSNDING. RPTR CAPT SAW THE DSCNT AND TOOL CTL OF ACFT. MLG.
Narrative: WHILE PNF WAS COPYING DEST ATIS WITH HEAD DOWN, PF MISTAKENLY THOUGHT DSCNT CLRNC HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND BEGAN ENRTE DSCNT, PNF TOOK CTL AND LEVELED AT 700 FT BELOW ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT AND CLBED BACK TO FL260. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED WITH ANY ACFT. EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF PF HAD SAID 'STARTING DOWN' OR SOMETHING SIMILAR PRIOR TO BEGINNING DSCNT.
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.