Narrative:

I was the PIC flying a G159 for a new engine certification test flight. I filed an IFR flight plan with anniston FSS departing hsv to MSL VOR and return to hsv at 10000 ft. I told FSS to note in the remarks section that we were on an engine test flight for the purpose of the flight. We departed hsv and climbed to 10000 ft and accelerated to cruise speed to observe the propeller operation. Then we slowed the airspeed to shut down the left engine and feathered the propeller, per the emergency checklist, followed with an attempted engine air start. When we brought the propeller out of feather the engine failed to light and the propeller was windmilling. I was distraction for a moment to observe the set up for start, then I noticed the altitude was down 200 ft and asked the copilot to call ZME and request a lower altitude. I believe we received a clearance to descend to 8000 ft. I then requested the copilot to re-feather the propeller and to set up again per the checklist for an engine air start. This time the start was normal. We were then reclred to descend to 8000 ft by ZME, with no remarks about any conflicts. We requested a clearance to return to hsv. After landing at hsv, ground control told us ZME had a problem with us descending before we were cleared and created a conflict with a citation jet at 9000 ft. Ground control requested I call the ZME supervisor. I called and talked with mr X and he said we had descended too soon and had caused the conflict with the citation. I have learned from this that experienced pilots with over 30000 hours and 11000 hours in type were complacent. We have shut down and restarted engines many times with no problems in the past. If we caused the conflict, it would be the first violation in our flying careers. We should have requested a block altitude, and I will in the future, to perform any maintenance test flight. This has been a wake-up call to us, T not be complacent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: G159 CREW DSNDED BEFORE THEY HAD ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC FLYING A G159 FOR A NEW ENG CERTIFICATION TEST FLT. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH ANNISTON FSS DEPARTING HSV TO MSL VOR AND RETURN TO HSV AT 10000 FT. I TOLD FSS TO NOTE IN THE REMARKS SECTION THAT WE WERE ON AN ENG TEST FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT. WE DEPARTED HSV AND CLBED TO 10000 FT AND ACCELERATED TO CRUISE SPD TO OBSERVE THE PROP OP. THEN WE SLOWED THE AIRSPD TO SHUT DOWN THE L ENG AND FEATHERED THE PROP, PER THE EMER CHKLIST, FOLLOWED WITH AN ATTEMPTED ENG AIR START. WHEN WE BROUGHT THE PROP OUT OF FEATHER THE ENG FAILED TO LIGHT AND THE PROP WAS WINDMILLING. I WAS DISTR FOR A MOMENT TO OBSERVE THE SET UP FOR START, THEN I NOTICED THE ALT WAS DOWN 200 FT AND ASKED THE COPLT TO CALL ZME AND REQUEST A LOWER ALT. I BELIEVE WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 8000 FT. I THEN REQUESTED THE COPLT TO RE-FEATHER THE PROP AND TO SET UP AGAIN PER THE CHKLIST FOR AN ENG AIR START. THIS TIME THE START WAS NORMAL. WE WERE THEN RECLRED TO DSND TO 8000 FT BY ZME, WITH NO REMARKS ABOUT ANY CONFLICTS. WE REQUESTED A CLRNC TO RETURN TO HSV. AFTER LNDG AT HSV, GND CTL TOLD US ZME HAD A PROB WITH US DSNDING BEFORE WE WERE CLRED AND CREATED A CONFLICT WITH A CITATION JET AT 9000 FT. GND CTL REQUESTED I CALL THE ZME SUPVR. I CALLED AND TALKED WITH MR X AND HE SAID WE HAD DSNDED TOO SOON AND HAD CAUSED THE CONFLICT WITH THE CITATION. I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS THAT EXPERIENCED PLTS WITH OVER 30000 HRS AND 11000 HRS IN TYPE WERE COMPLACENT. WE HAVE SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED ENGS MANY TIMES WITH NO PROBS IN THE PAST. IF WE CAUSED THE CONFLICT, IT WOULD BE THE FIRST VIOLATION IN OUR FLYING CAREERS. WE SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A BLOCK ALT, AND I WILL IN THE FUTURE, TO PERFORM ANY MAINT TEST FLT. THIS HAS BEEN A WAKE-UP CALL TO US, T NOT BE COMPLACENT.

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.