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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew of an MD88 overshot descent altitude and leveled off 1000 ft lower than assigned due to making a wrong setting to the altimeter when descending past FL180. Captain received altimeter setting from ATIS and he and the first officer believe that the ATIS computer voice is hard to understand. ATC questioned their altitude which revealed their discrepancy.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 382600 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : den |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zdv |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 382600 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 520 |
| ASRS Report | 382598 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During descent into den, the PNF obtained the ATIS. After the PNF obtained the ATIS we briefed the WX. The altimeter setting was briefed as 30.39 inches. The controller issued a clearance to cross 40 mi east of denver at 17000 ft. I do not recall if an altimeter setting was given by the controller. After leveling at 17000 ft the controller questioned us about our altitude. It was discovered that the correct altimeter setting was 29.39 inches and we were actually at 16000 ft. The descent was very busy because of WX. Also, my opinion is that this computer voice that is used to broadcast an ATIS is of poor quality. My experience is that some words are pronounced poorly and I have to listen to the ATIS more than once to understand the voice.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MD88 OVERSHOT DSCNT ALT AND LEVELED OFF 1000 FT LOWER THAN ASSIGNED DUE TO MAKING A WRONG SETTING TO THE ALTIMETER WHEN DSNDING PAST FL180. CAPT RECEIVED ALTIMETER SETTING FROM ATIS AND HE AND THE FO BELIEVE THAT THE ATIS COMPUTER VOICE IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND. ATC QUESTIONED THEIR ALT WHICH REVEALED THEIR DISCREPANCY.
Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO DEN, THE PNF OBTAINED THE ATIS. AFTER THE PNF OBTAINED THE ATIS WE BRIEFED THE WX. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS BRIEFED AS 30.39 INCHES. THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS 40 MI E OF DENVER AT 17000 FT. I DO NOT RECALL IF AN ALTIMETER SETTING WAS GIVEN BY THE CTLR. AFTER LEVELING AT 17000 FT THE CTLR QUESTIONED US ABOUT OUR ALT. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.39 INCHES AND WE WERE ACTUALLY AT 16000 FT. THE DSCNT WAS VERY BUSY BECAUSE OF WX. ALSO, MY OPINION IS THAT THIS COMPUTER VOICE THAT IS USED TO BROADCAST AN ATIS IS OF POOR QUALITY. MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT SOME WORDS ARE PRONOUNCED POORLY AND I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE ATIS MORE THAN ONCE TO UNDERSTAND THE VOICE.
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.