<< >> NASA ASRS Report 461420, January 2000

Air carrier has confusion about an expected vice actual clearance near pvd, ri, and is unable to clarify due to frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	461420
Time
Date	200001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : scupp 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	461420
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 23400 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	461925
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Distraction in cockpit concerning maintenance items caused a miscom on an ATC clearance. The question was if an 'expected' clearance of pvd VOR at 11000 ft 250 KTS had been upgraded to an actual clearance to cross pvd at 11000 ft 250 KTS. We questioned ATC when handed over to bos approach. Due to radio congestion on approach control it took several radio xmissions to verify the assigned altitude. We were given clearance to descend to 11000 ft and heading 070 degrees for vectors. ATC advised there was no traffic conflict or problems. Workload management at a critical time of flight caused the miscom and questioning of the clearance.

Related reports:

• B737 captain reported confusion with the clearance from lax ...
• Some confusion on pushback by a B737 crew at bwi due to freq...
• Pilot reported his confusion while flying into hio and not b...
• A citation 560 cpr captain reported that a cha TRACON contro...
• Confusion in ord tower when air carrier medium large transpo...
• Two parallel bridges leaving the south ramp at iah have name...

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

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS CONFUSION ABOUT AN EXPECTED VICE ACTUAL CLRNC NEAR PVD, RI, AND IS UNABLE TO CLARIFY DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: DISTR IN COCKPIT CONCERNING MAINT ITEMS CAUSED A MISCOM ON AN ATC CLRNC. THE QUESTION WAS IF AN 'EXPECTED' CLRNC OF PVD VOR AT 11000 FT 250 KTS HAD BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ACTUAL CLRNC TO CROSS PVD AT 11000 FT 250 KTS. WE QUESTIONED ATC WHEN HANDED OVER TO BOS APCH. DUE TO RADIO CONGESTION ON APCH CTL IT TOOK SEVERAL RADIO XMISSIONS TO VERIFY THE ASSIGNED ALT. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000 FT AND HDG 070 DEGS FOR VECTORS. ATC ADVISED THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT OR PROBS. WORKLOAD MGMNT AT A CRITICAL TIME OF FLT CAUSED THE MISCOM AND QUESTIONING OF THE CLRNC.

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.