<< >> NASA ASRS Report 398880, April 1998

An air carrier B737 altitude deviation during an approach into hou. Approach controller catches error and sends flight back to previously assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	398880
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	398880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude 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:

On a vectored descent for approach into hou, we were cleared out of 6000 to 4000 ft MSL. I read back the clearance and we started a descent. Radio traffic was heavy, the controller was very busy. Passing 5000 ft MSL, the controller issued our altitude, I read back 5000 ft. He then said he had told us to maintain 6000 ft. I acknowledged the clearance and the captain climbed back up to 6000 ft. Nothing else of the event was mentioned and the rest of the flight was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 ALTDEV DURING AN APCH INTO HOU. APCH CTLR CATCHES ERROR AND SENDS FLT BACK TO PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON A VECTORED DSCNT FOR APCH INTO HOU, WE WERE CLRED OUT OF 6000 TO 4000 FT MSL. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND WE STARTED A DSCNT. RADIO TFC WAS HVY, THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. PASSING 5000 FT MSL, THE CTLR ISSUED OUR ALT, I READ BACK 5000 FT. HE THEN SAID HE HAD TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND THE CAPT CLBED BACK UP TO 6000 FT. NOTHING ELSE OF THE EVENT WAS MENTIONED AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.