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Light transport air carrier aircraft. Right after departure on a short flight, reporter captain went off the radios to contact their company operations, obtain ATIS and give in range report, while PF, first officer, misunderstood altitude clearance and leveled at 3000 ft vice 5000 ft. Reporter captain attributes being distracted by company radio requirements taking him out of the loop and that both flight crew were new in the company.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 386140 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cle |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cle |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 386140 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While acting as PNF, my first officer misunderstood an ATC clearance. Shortly after takeoff we were cleared to 5000 ft on heading assigned by ATC. I left the frequency to call departure company operations, get arrival ATIS and call arrival airport operations in range. While I was off the primary frequency, we were cleared to go direct to a VOR station when reaching 3000 ft, (but ATC expected us to continue the climb to 5000 ft). My first officer thought the clearance was 'proceed direct to the VOR maintain 3000 ft' and he reset the altitude alerter from 5000 ft to 3000 ft. When I got back on the primary frequency, I asked my first officer, what was our latest clearance. He said 'direct to the VOR, maintain 3000 ft.' there was never a separation conflict on this 20 min flight. Contributing factors: 1) company pairing a new captain (1 month) with a new first officer (2 months with company), 2) 20 min flight means high workload, 3) requirement for PNF to leave primary radio frequency 3 times to make required company calls, 4) confusing clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT ACR ACFT. RIGHT AFTER DEP ON A SHORT FLT, RPTR CAPT WENT OFF THE RADIOS TO CONTACT THEIR COMPANY OPS, OBTAIN ATIS AND GIVE IN RANGE RPT, WHILE PF, FO, MISUNDERSTOOD ALT CLRNC AND LEVELED AT 3000 FT VICE 5000 FT. RPTR CAPT ATTRIBUTES BEING DISTRACTED BY COMPANY RADIO REQUIREMENTS TAKING HIM OUT OF THE LOOP AND THAT BOTH FLC WERE NEW IN THE COMPANY.
Narrative: WHILE ACTING AS PNF, MY FO MISUNDERSTOOD AN ATC CLRNC. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT ON HEADING ASSIGNED BY ATC. I LEFT THE FREQ TO CALL DEP COMPANY OPS, GET ARR ATIS AND CALL ARR ARPT OPS IN RANGE. WHILE I WAS OFF THE PRIMARY FREQ, WE WERE CLRED TO GO DIRECT TO A VOR STATION WHEN REACHING 3000 FT, (BUT ATC EXPECTED US TO CONTINUE THE CLB TO 5000 FT). MY FO THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS 'PROCEED DIRECT TO THE VOR MAINTAIN 3000 FT' AND HE RESET THE ALT ALERTER FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT. WHEN I GOT BACK ON THE PRIMARY FREQ, I ASKED MY FO, WHAT WAS OUR LATEST CLRNC. HE SAID 'DIRECT TO THE VOR, MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' THERE WAS NEVER A SEPARATION CONFLICT ON THIS 20 MIN FLT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) COMPANY PAIRING A NEW CAPT (1 MONTH) WITH A NEW FO (2 MONTHS WITH COMPANY), 2) 20 MIN FLT MEANS HIGH WORKLOAD, 3) REQUIREMENT FOR PNF TO LEAVE PRIMARY RADIO FREQ 3 TIMES TO MAKE REQUIRED COMPANY CALLS, 4) CONFUSING CLRNC.
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.