<< >> NASA ASRS Report 355710, December 1996

Flight crew of an light transport received clearance to descend and then after descending 1000 ft ATC intervened and advised that they were not cleared. Even given another heading to use on descending, but were told it was all right to keep that heading.

Attributes
ACN	355710
Time
Date	199612
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sgf
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zkc
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 : 200 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	355710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were level at 16000 ft MSL with a request for 17000 ft with ATC. We had stated we would be willing to accept lower altitudes to avoid icing conditions (trace) at our assigned altitude of 16000 ft MSL. ATC cleared us discretion to 10000 ft with a 10 degree right turn to intercept the trake 7 arrival to stl. We acknowledged and began to descend below 16000 ft. At approximately 15000 ft MSL ATC requested altitude verification. We replied with a request for confirmation of clearance. ATC denied issuing such a clearance and instructed us to maintain 16000 ft. Our new heading, however, would be acceptable. A company aircraft 13 mi ahead was also on the same ATC frequency and later the captain informed me he heard ATC issue us the instructions as we heard them, and that ATC had made the error of issuing the clearance to descend to the wrong aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND AND THEN AFTER DSNDING 1000 FT ATC INTERVENED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE NOT CLRED. EVEN GIVEN ANOTHER HDG TO USE ON DSNDING, BUT WERE TOLD IT WAS ALL RIGHT TO KEEP THAT HDG.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 16000 FT MSL WITH A REQUEST FOR 17000 FT WITH ATC. WE HAD STATED WE WOULD BE WILLING TO ACCEPT LOWER ALTS TO AVOID ICING CONDITIONS (TRACE) AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 16000 FT MSL. ATC CLRED US DISCRETION TO 10000 FT WITH A 10 DEG R TURN TO INTERCEPT THE TRAKE 7 ARR TO STL. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND BEGAN TO DSND BELOW 16000 FT. AT APPROX 15000 FT MSL ATC REQUESTED ALT VERIFICATION. WE REPLIED WITH A REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF CLRNC. ATC DENIED ISSUING SUCH A CLRNC AND INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 16000 FT. OUR NEW HDG, HOWEVER, WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. A COMPANY ACFT 13 MI AHEAD WAS ALSO ON THE SAME ATC FREQ AND LATER THE CAPT INFORMED ME HE HEARD ATC ISSUE US THE INSTRUCTIONS AS WE HEARD THEM, AND THAT ATC HAD MADE THE ERROR OF ISSUING THE CLRNC TO DSND TO THE WRONG ACFT.

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.