<< >> NASA ASRS Report 394110, February 1998

Flight crew of air ambulance small transport climbs above assigned altitude and is prompted by ATC to look at the assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	394110
Time
Date	199802
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oed airport : mfr
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eug
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5400 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	394110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
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:

The PNF took the clearance from medford ground control on an IFR flight between medford airport and crescent city, ca, airport. The PNF set the altitude alerter to 11000 ft for the wbound flight. Through 10500 ft MSL cascade approach asked what our desired altitude for cruise was and the PNF replied 11000 ft. Approach asked what our clearance altitude was and the PNF looked at the written clearance and discovered it was 10000 ft. This was relayed to approach and a descent began from, by now, 10700 ft. We leveled off at 10000 ft and the remainder of the flight continued without incident. As the PF, I needed to pay more attention to not only the routing but also altitudes cleared to. I usually do but not this time. Also, the 11000 ft for a west course is not normal and that needed to be clarified with the PNF.

Related reports:

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AIR AMBULANCE SMT CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT AND IS PROMPTED BY ATC TO LOOK AT THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: THE PNF TOOK THE CLRNC FROM MEDFORD GND CTL ON AN IFR FLT BTWN MEDFORD ARPT AND CRESCENT CITY, CA, ARPT. THE PNF SET THE ALT ALERTER TO 11000 FT FOR THE WBOUND FLT. THROUGH 10500 FT MSL CASCADE APCH ASKED WHAT OUR DESIRED ALT FOR CRUISE WAS AND THE PNF REPLIED 11000 FT. APCH ASKED WHAT OUR CLRNC ALT WAS AND THE PNF LOOKED AT THE WRITTEN CLRNC AND DISCOVERED IT WAS 10000 FT. THIS WAS RELAYED TO APCH AND A DSCNT BEGAN FROM, BY NOW, 10700 FT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS THE PF, I NEEDED TO PAY MORE ATTN TO NOT ONLY THE ROUTING BUT ALSO ALTS CLRED TO. I USUALLY DO BUT NOT THIS TIME. ALSO, THE 11000 FT FOR A W COURSE IS NOT NORMAL AND THAT NEEDED TO BE CLARIFIED WITH THE PNF.

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.