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Flight crew of a B737-300 overshot intermediate descent altitude due to misunderstanding of the clearance. ARTCC controller issued vectors to maintain traffic separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 449307 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199909 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : ukw.ukw5 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 530 |
| ASRS Report | 449307 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 449514 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
FL370 en route to dfw. Cleared by ATC to cross 40 mi west bowie FL240. 10 mi west of FMC top of descent, ATC requested 'start descent now to FL330.' clearance was understood by the terms used, start down now, cross 40 mi west bowie FL240. Passing through FL310, ATC questioned why we didn't level off at FL330. We explained. ATC then proceeded by issuing vectors. No further actions. If ATC needed us to level at FL330, clearance should have been descend and maintain FL330.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A B737-300 OVERSHOT INTERMEDIATE DSCNT ALT DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC. ARTCC CTLR ISSUED VECTORS TO MAINTAIN TFC SEPARATION.
Narrative: FL370 ENRTE TO DFW. CLRED BY ATC TO CROSS 40 MI W BOWIE FL240. 10 MI W OF FMC TOP OF DSCNT, ATC REQUESTED 'START DSCNT NOW TO FL330.' CLRNC WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THE TERMS USED, START DOWN NOW, CROSS 40 MI W BOWIE FL240. PASSING THROUGH FL310, ATC QUESTIONED WHY WE DIDN'T LEVEL OFF AT FL330. WE EXPLAINED. ATC THEN PROCEEDED BY ISSUING VECTORS. NO FURTHER ACTIONS. IF ATC NEEDED US TO LEVEL AT FL330, CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN DSND AND MAINTAIN FL330.
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.