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Captain of an MD88 did not climb as instructed to requested cruising altitude due to the first officer's failure to notify ATC that the captain no longer wanted the altitude change due to improved WX. When the captain asked the first officer to reject the altitude request, the communication frequency was too congested to get through. Subsequently the controller intervened to find out why the reporter had not changed his altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 417010 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zkc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 17320 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 417010 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Earlier in the flight near fam we were cruising at wrong way FL310 to facilitate flying over a line of thunderstorms. Being unable, due to weight, to climb to FL350 we were cleared to FL310 due to traffic. Shortly after leveling at FL310 we requested FL350 to help clear WX. Approximately 1 hour later near tul heading south to dfw, on the west side of the WX, center cleared us to FL350. I briefed my copilot to decline the clearance when reading it back. Instead he accepted the clearance and then tried to decline the clearance with a second transmission. But other radio traffic with center inhibited our communication with center for about 5 mins. Then center called us and asked if we were still at FL310. We requested to stay at FL310 and a clearance to remain at FL310 was received with no off course vectors for conflicts.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MD88 DID NOT CLB AS INSTRUCTED TO REQUESTED CRUISING ALT DUE TO THE FO'S FAILURE TO NOTIFY ATC THAT THE CAPT NO LONGER WANTED THE ALT CHANGE DUE TO IMPROVED WX. WHEN THE CAPT ASKED THE FO TO REJECT THE ALT REQUEST, THE COM FREQ WAS TOO CONGESTED TO GET THROUGH. SUBSEQUENTLY THE CTLR INTERVENED TO FIND OUT WHY THE RPTR HAD NOT CHANGED HIS ALT.
Narrative: EARLIER IN THE FLT NEAR FAM WE WERE CRUISING AT WRONG WAY FL310 TO FACILITATE FLYING OVER A LINE OF TSTMS. BEING UNABLE, DUE TO WT, TO CLB TO FL350 WE WERE CLRED TO FL310 DUE TO TFC. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT FL310 WE REQUESTED FL350 TO HELP CLR WX. APPROX 1 HR LATER NEAR TUL HDG S TO DFW, ON THE W SIDE OF THE WX, CTR CLRED US TO FL350. I BRIEFED MY COPLT TO DECLINE THE CLRNC WHEN READING IT BACK. INSTEAD HE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC AND THEN TRIED TO DECLINE THE CLRNC WITH A SECOND XMISSION. BUT OTHER RADIO TFC WITH CTR INHIBITED OUR COM WITH CTR FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THEN CTR CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL AT FL310. WE REQUESTED TO STAY AT FL310 AND A CLRNC TO REMAIN AT FL310 WAS RECEIVED WITH NO OFF COURSE VECTORS FOR CONFLICTS.
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.