<< >> NASA ASRS Report 490890, October 2000

A clearance was issued and then canceled. The cancellation was not received or acknowledged. An incorrect altitude is the result.

Attributes
ACN	490890
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	490890
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12400 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	490317
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

ZTL gave us clearance to climb from FL330 to FL350. I read back the altitude to ZTL, then the captain and I both confirmed the altitude. We set the altitude on the panel and double-checked on our pfd's. Several mins later the ZTL controller said there was a 'breakdown in communications' and told us he stated 'disregard FL350 clearance.' we did not hear this nor did the captain repeat the 'disregarded' altitude of FL350. The ATC controller stated we were supposed to be at FL330. At no point in time did we have this instruction. What may have happened is when I repeated the 'climb to FL350' the controller was stating 'disregard' at the same time. We did not hear him and the controller should have caught this error because we did not 'repeat' his 'disregard' instructions to FL330. We always confirm and repeat altitudes when issued by the controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLRNC WAS ISSUED AND THEN CANCELED. THE CANCELLATION WAS NOT RECEIVED OR ACKNOWLEDGED. AN INCORRECT ALT IS THE RESULT.

Narrative: ZTL GAVE US CLRNC TO CLB FROM FL330 TO FL350. I READ BACK THE ALT TO ZTL, THEN THE CAPT AND I BOTH CONFIRMED THE ALT. WE SET THE ALT ON THE PANEL AND DOUBLE-CHKED ON OUR PFD'S. SEVERAL MINS LATER THE ZTL CTLR SAID THERE WAS A 'BREAKDOWN IN COMS' AND TOLD US HE STATED 'DISREGARD FL350 CLRNC.' WE DID NOT HEAR THIS NOR DID THE CAPT REPEAT THE 'DISREGARDED' ALT OF FL350. THE ATC CTLR STATED WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL330. AT NO POINT IN TIME DID WE HAVE THIS INSTRUCTION. WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED IS WHEN I REPEATED THE 'CLB TO FL350' THE CTLR WAS STATING 'DISREGARD' AT THE SAME TIME. WE DID NOT HEAR HIM AND THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS ERROR BECAUSE WE DID NOT 'REPEAT' HIS 'DISREGARD' INSTRUCTIONS TO FL330. WE ALWAYS CONFIRM AND REPEAT ALTS WHEN ISSUED BY THE CTLRS.

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.