Flight crew of a widebody transport failed to make crossing altitude due to a lack of coordination and communications between the flight crew, coupled with ATC heavy traffic workload causing difficulty in attempting to verify the actual clearance. ATC responded by removing the crossing fix restr.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	387430
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ukw airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 22000
ASRS Report	387430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Clearance was given by center to cross craff fix at 9000 ft (standard). The last clearance received by the PNF was to descend to FL180. Due to distrs and radio traffic, he failed to set 9000 ft in altitude window. I was off making a passenger PA. When I returned, I leveled at FL180 and asked to verify a 9000 ft clearance. Radio traffic was very heavy. By the time the controller verified the crossing and due to 100 KT tailwinds, we could not make the restr (5000 ft high). The controller then issued a clearance to descend to 9000 ft, not cross. No traffic conflict was known to have occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A WDB FAILED TO MAKE XING ALT DUE TO A LACK OF COORD AND COMS BTWN THE FLC, COUPLED WITH ATC HVY TFC WORKLOAD CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ATTEMPTING TO VERIFY THE ACTUAL CLRNC. ATC RESPONDED BY REMOVING THE XING FIX RESTR.

Narrative: CLRNC WAS GIVEN BY CTR TO CROSS CRAFF FIX AT 9000 FT (STANDARD). THE LAST CLRNC RECEIVED BY THE PNF WAS TO DSND TO FL180. DUE TO DISTRS AND RADIO TFC, HE FAILED TO SET 9000 FT IN ALT WINDOW. I WAS OFF MAKING A PAX PA. WHEN I RETURNED, I LEVELED AT FL180 AND ASKED TO VERIFY A 9000 FT CLRNC. RADIO TFC WAS VERY HVY. BY THE TIME THE CTLR VERIFIED THE XING AND DUE TO 100 KT TAILWINDS, WE COULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR (5000 FT HIGH). THE CTLR THEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 9000 FT, NOT CROSS. NO TFC CONFLICT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED.

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.