<< >> NASA ASRS Report 372230, June 1997

Small transport aircraft cleared for descent to 4000 ft, pilot reporter descended to 3300 ft. Approach controller cleared him to 3000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	372230
Time
Date	199706
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	372230
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from cha to mem in descent. Asked for descent and assigned 4000 ft. At this point, ATC/approach normally assigns as low as 3000 ft. Set altitude bug to 4000 ft, with airplane on autoplt set up 500-1000 FPM descent. At 3300 ft, controller cleared me to 3000 ft. I did not realize I was this low until that point. Controller said no more to me. I descended to 3000 ft.

Related reports:

• Small transport cleared for takeoff at same time another air...
• Small transport flight crew says they were cleared to cross ...
• Controller cleared small aircraft to land on runway occupied...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ACFT CLRED FOR DSCNT TO 4000 FT, PLT RPTR DSNDED TO 3300 FT. APCH CTLR CLRED HIM TO 3000 FT.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM CHA TO MEM IN DSCNT. ASKED FOR DSCNT AND ASSIGNED 4000 FT. AT THIS POINT, ATC/APCH NORMALLY ASSIGNS AS LOW AS 3000 FT. SET ALT BUG TO 4000 FT, WITH AIRPLANE ON AUTOPLT SET UP 500-1000 FPM DSCNT. AT 3300 FT, CTLR CLRED ME TO 3000 FT. I DID NOT REALIZE I WAS THIS LOW UNTIL THAT POINT. CTLR SAID NO MORE TO ME. I DSNDED TO 3000 FT.

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.