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Captain of an medium large transport descended from assigned altitude and was alerted by ATC at the same time that he was given a TCASII RA warning. The ARTCC controller sent him back to assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 430867 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : lny.vortac |
| State Reference | HI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15200 msl bound upper : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 430867 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 30000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
ATC requested for us to begin descent. Previously cleared to 16000 ft from FL200. Captain thought he missed earlier call clearing us to 10000 ft so he asked controller at that time if we were cleared to 16000 ft or 10000 ft. I did not catch response, but captain read back 'descending to 10000 ft' and placed 10000 ft in altitude counter. I verified the cleared to 10000 ft with captain twice during descent and he said he was sure. Received RA on TCASII at same time ATC called for immediate climb to 16000 ft (we were at approximately 15200 ft). Obviously, ATC never intended for us to descend below 16000 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MLG DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT AND WAS ALERTED BY ATC AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE WAS GIVEN A TCASII RA WARNING. THE ARTCC CTLR SENT HIM BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: ATC REQUESTED FOR US TO BEGIN DSCNT. PREVIOUSLY CLRED TO 16000 FT FROM FL200. CAPT THOUGHT HE MISSED EARLIER CALL CLRING US TO 10000 FT SO HE ASKED CTLR AT THAT TIME IF WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT OR 10000 FT. I DID NOT CATCH RESPONSE, BUT CAPT READ BACK 'DSNDING TO 10000 FT' AND PLACED 10000 FT IN ALT COUNTER. I VERIFIED THE CLRED TO 10000 FT WITH CAPT TWICE DURING DSCNT AND HE SAID HE WAS SURE. RECEIVED RA ON TCASII AT SAME TIME ATC CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE CLB TO 16000 FT (WE WERE AT APPROX 15200 FT). OBVIOUSLY, ATC NEVER INTENDED FOR US TO DSND BELOW 16000 FT.
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.