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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Mdt aircraft in cruise when ATC gave climb clearance to FL240 which flight crew read back and commenced climb. A short time later ATC controller cleared flight crew direct itc and also told them that their assigned altitude was FL230 and the '240' we heard was a heading clearance. Reporter captain called the center to verify the tapes and found out that in fact they had a misunderstanding. An example of readback, hearback problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 365840 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zid |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 365840 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We were level at FL230 on assigned heading of 210 degrees. ATC gave us a climb to FL240 and 'something further down the way' we assumed she meant a 'direct to' shortly. We read back 'climb to FL240,' with our call sign. After we were level at FL240 for some time (30 seconds) she called us with direct itc and 'your assigned altitude was FL230.' I quizzed her as to what she said and we said -- she claimed that the '240' we heard was a heading change not an altitude change. I later called the center and asked them to pull the tapes and check it out. Another perfect example of readback hearback screw ups.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MDT ACFT IN CRUISE WHEN ATC GAVE CLB CLRNC TO FL240 WHICH FLC READ BACK AND COMMENCED CLB. A SHORT TIME LATER ATC CTLR CLRED FLC DIRECT ITC AND ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL230 AND THE '240' WE HEARD WAS A HEADING CLRNC. RPTR CAPT CALLED THE CTR TO VERIFY THE TAPES AND FOUND OUT THAT IN FACT THEY HAD A MISUNDERSTANDING. AN EXAMPLE OF READBACK, HEARBACK PROB.
Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT FL230 ON ASSIGNED HDG OF 210 DEGS. ATC GAVE US A CLB TO FL240 AND 'SOMETHING FURTHER DOWN THE WAY' WE ASSUMED SHE MEANT A 'DIRECT TO' SHORTLY. WE READ BACK 'CLB TO FL240,' WITH OUR CALL SIGN. AFTER WE WERE LEVEL AT FL240 FOR SOME TIME (30 SECONDS) SHE CALLED US WITH DIRECT ITC AND 'YOUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL230.' I QUIZZED HER AS TO WHAT SHE SAID AND WE SAID -- SHE CLAIMED THAT THE '240' WE HEARD WAS A HEADING CHANGE NOT AN ALT CHANGE. I LATER CALLED THE CTR AND ASKED THEM TO PULL THE TAPES AND CHK IT OUT. ANOTHER PERFECT EXAMPLE OF READBACK HEARBACK SCREW UPS.
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.