<< >> NASA ASRS Report 514758, February 2001

A B737 flight crew leaving FL340 descends below FL330 when they interpretation the clearance as FL230 near beano intersection, pr.

Attributes
ACN	514758
Time
Date	200102
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : beano
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25800 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zsu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	514758
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	514757
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: northwest of sju around beano. While descending into sju, talking with ZSU, we were given a right deviation of 20 degrees right and a descent to FL290. We stated unable 20 degrees right for WX, we could accept 10 degrees right, and then we misread assigned altitude as FL230. The controller came back and said 10 degrees right approved and did not mention our altitude readback. Descending through FL260 the controller (a different controller) on same frequency asked us the assigned altitude. We replied FL230 and he said nothing. We asked if there was a problem and he stated the assigned altitude was FL330. Supplemental information from acn 514757: I read back and set FL230 in the MCP. I consider his accent, the very fast delivery of his clrncs and his tendency to not annunciate clearly altitude assignments and clrncs a contributing factor to our deviation. Other aircraft and crews were having a problem understanding this controller as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLC LEAVING FL340 DSNDS BELOW FL330 WHEN THEY INTERP THE CLRNC AS FL230 NEAR BEANO INTXN, PR.

Narrative: LOCATION: NW OF SJU AROUND BEANO. WHILE DSNDING INTO SJU, TALKING WITH ZSU, WE WERE GIVEN A R DEV OF 20 DEGS R AND A DSCNT TO FL290. WE STATED UNABLE 20 DEGS R FOR WX, WE COULD ACCEPT 10 DEGS R, AND THEN WE MISREAD ASSIGNED ALT AS FL230. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID 10 DEGS R APPROVED AND DID NOT MENTION OUR ALT READBACK. DSNDING THROUGH FL260 THE CTLR (A DIFFERENT CTLR) ON SAME FREQ ASKED US THE ASSIGNED ALT. WE REPLIED FL230 AND HE SAID NOTHING. WE ASKED IF THERE WAS A PROB AND HE STATED THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL330. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 514757: I READ BACK AND SET FL230 IN THE MCP. I CONSIDER HIS ACCENT, THE VERY FAST DELIVERY OF HIS CLRNCS AND HIS TENDENCY TO NOT ANNUNCIATE CLRLY ALT ASSIGNMENTS AND CLRNCS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO OUR DEV. OTHER ACFT AND CREWS WERE HAVING A PROB UNDERSTANDING THIS CTLR AS WELL.

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.