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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Pilot of a cessna 172 descended off of cruising altitude by mistake when given a heading change by ATC. He subsequently failed to turn to the newly assigned heading due to being distracted by his first mistake.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 477830 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200007 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pvd.airport |
| State Reference | RI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pvd.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Baron 58/58TC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v151.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1925 flight time type : 60 |
| ASRS Report | 762 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was given a vector and thought I was supposed to descend to 6000 ft. I was halfway to 6000 ft when ATC said 'say altitude' and was told that I was supposed to have remained at 7000 ft. Then I was cleared to 6000 ft and told a heading of 050 degrees. I was still shook-up about busting an altitude and then flew a 150 degree heading until corrected by ATC, who told me to 'pay attention.' what I learned was that 1 error can lead to yet another error unless full attention is maintained on flying the plane. I pride myself of being a safe pilot and I overreacted to my first mistake causing a second. I feel what I have learned from this situation to prevent further like problems is to 'fly the aircraft,' that is full attention to prevent further distractions. I hope these comments can help keep other pilots safe.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A CESSNA 172 DSNDED OFF OF CRUISING ALT BY MISTAKE WHEN GIVEN A HEADING CHANGE BY ATC. HE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO TURN TO THE NEWLY ASSIGNED HEADING DUE TO BEING DISTRACTED BY HIS FIRST MISTAKE.
Narrative: I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR AND THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DSND TO 6000 FT. I WAS HALFWAY TO 6000 FT WHEN ATC SAID 'SAY ALT' AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE REMAINED AT 7000 FT. THEN I WAS CLRED TO 6000 FT AND TOLD A HEADING OF 050 DEGS. I WAS STILL SHOOK-UP ABOUT BUSTING AN ALT AND THEN FLEW A 150 DEG HDG UNTIL CORRECTED BY ATC, WHO TOLD ME TO 'PAY ATTN.' WHAT I LEARNED WAS THAT 1 ERROR CAN LEAD TO YET ANOTHER ERROR UNLESS FULL ATTN IS MAINTAINED ON FLYING THE PLANE. I PRIDE MYSELF OF BEING A SAFE PLT AND I OVERREACTED TO MY FIRST MISTAKE CAUSING A SECOND. I FEEL WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS SIT TO PREVENT FURTHER LIKE PROBS IS TO 'FLY THE ACFT,' THAT IS FULL ATTN TO PREVENT FURTHER DISTRACTIONS. I HOPE THESE COMMENTS CAN HELP KEEP OTHER PLTS SAFE.
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.