<< >> NASA ASRS Report 508840, April 2001

Altitude overshot in descent when the flight crew of a DC9 cargo flight misunderstands the altitude assignment on frequency with ZMP, mn.

Attributes
ACN	508840
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fsd.vortac
State Reference	SD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11700 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 4652 flight time type : 1891
ASRS Report	508840
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from fargo, nd, to sioux falls, sd, we were given pilot's discretion to 5000 ft. The first officer read back the clearance. No ATC reply followed. On the descent passing approximately 11700 ft, the controller cleared us to 8000 ft. The first officer responded that we had been previously cleared to 5000 ft. In return, the controller stated that we had been cleared to 15000 ft, continue descent to 8000 ft. We had an additional crew member aboard who was listening to the radios. All 3 of us had heard 5000 ft, not 15000 ft. The first officer had read back 5000 ft. If the clearance readback had been incorrect, I feel the controller should have repeated the clearance, so as to avoid confusion and possible deviation from the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT IN DSCNT WHEN THE FLT CREW OF A DC9 CARGO FLT MISUNDERSTANDS THE ALT ASSIGNMENT ON FREQ WITH ZMP, MN.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM FARGO, ND, TO SIOUX FALLS, SD, WE WERE GIVEN PLT'S DISCRETION TO 5000 FT. THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC. NO ATC REPLY FOLLOWED. ON THE DSCNT PASSING APPROX 11700 FT, THE CTLR CLRED US TO 8000 FT. THE FO RESPONDED THAT WE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED TO 5000 FT. IN RETURN, THE CTLR STATED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 15000 FT, CONTINUE DSCNT TO 8000 FT. WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL CREW MEMBER ABOARD WHO WAS LISTENING TO THE RADIOS. ALL 3 OF US HAD HEARD 5000 FT, NOT 15000 FT. THE FO HAD READ BACK 5000 FT. IF THE CLRNC READBACK HAD BEEN INCORRECT, I FEEL THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE REPEATED THE CLRNC, SO AS TO AVOID CONFUSION AND POSSIBLE DEV FROM 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.