<< >> NASA ASRS Report 453272, October 1999

A320 flight crew given a clearance that they thought included a descent but did not. When beginning descent, controller caught it and reclred to desired altitude.

Attributes
ACN	453272
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival star : spica
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	453272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the spica arrival into dtw, during a busy morning, there were numerous vectors off course and numerous speed restrs given. While flying level at 12000 ft a clearance was given with a heading, an airspeed, and instructions to rejoin the arrival on the given heading. I also believed that an altitude change had been given and set the new altitude (11000 ft) in the altitude window. Once on the new heading and slowed down, I realized I hadn't begun my descent and saw that 11000 ft had been set in the altitude window. I therefore began to descend and ATC queried our altitude immediately. We were given an immediate turn and told to climb immediately to 12000 ft. There were no TCASII advisories and ATC informed us that there was an aircraft ahead of us at 11000 ft. The early hour in the morning after a very short overnight in new york and my failure to confirm the new altitude with the captain before beginning my descent were the contributing factors.

Related reports:

• A local controller at dfw issued a landing clearance to air ...
• An air carrier L1011 flight crew started descent prematurely...
• C650 crew were issued ATC clearance which included maintain ...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC GIVEN A CLRNC THAT THEY THOUGHT INCLUDED A DSCNT BUT DID NOT. WHEN BEGINNING DSCNT, CTLR CAUGHT IT AND RECLRED TO DESIRED ALT.

Narrative: ON THE SPICA ARR INTO DTW, DURING A BUSY MORNING, THERE WERE NUMEROUS VECTORS OFF COURSE AND NUMEROUS SPD RESTRS GIVEN. WHILE FLYING LEVEL AT 12000 FT A CLRNC WAS GIVEN WITH A HDG, AN AIRSPD, AND INSTRUCTIONS TO REJOIN THE ARR ON THE GIVEN HDG. I ALSO BELIEVED THAT AN ALT CHANGE HAD BEEN GIVEN AND SET THE NEW ALT (11000 FT) IN THE ALT WINDOW. ONCE ON THE NEW HDG AND SLOWED DOWN, I REALIZED I HADN'T BEGUN MY DSCNT AND SAW THAT 11000 FT HAD BEEN SET IN THE ALT WINDOW. I THEREFORE BEGAN TO DSND AND ATC QUERIED OUR ALT IMMEDIATELY. WE WERE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND TOLD TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 12000 FT. THERE WERE NO TCASII ADVISORIES AND ATC INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT AHEAD OF US AT 11000 FT. THE EARLY HR IN THE MORNING AFTER A VERY SHORT OVERNIGHT IN NEW YORK AND MY FAILURE TO CONFIRM THE NEW ALT WITH THE CAPT BEFORE BEGINNING MY DSCNT WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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.