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Air carrier flight crew have a communication problem with controller and descend through assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 516140 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200106 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zdc.artcc |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25500 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : second officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 230 |
| ASRS Report | 516140 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Level at FL330 about 100 mi south of flat rock, we were given clearance to descend to FL210 and to be 70 mi from flat rock at or below FL270. Also told to maintain minimum descent of 1500 FPM as we had traffic at 15 mi. We acknowledged clearance, then center chided us, saying he had called us 3 times. We responded it was the first time any of us heard him. At FL295, center asked what altitude we were going to. We responded we were cleared to FL210. Center said our clearance was to FL270 and to level at FL250. We were given a 30 degree heading change and then direct to flat rock. The failure in communication was the probable cause of this situation. The controller earlier had commented there was a lot of static on this frequency. Controller became argumentative when we responded we hadn't heard him. When we read back clearance to FL210, it was not challenged. Also, no comment was made when first officer called passing through FL310.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FLT CREW HAVE A COM PROB WITH CTLR AND DSND THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: LEVEL AT FL330 ABOUT 100 MI S OF FLAT ROCK, WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO FL210 AND TO BE 70 MI FROM FLAT ROCK AT OR BELOW FL270. ALSO TOLD TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM DSCNT OF 1500 FPM AS WE HAD TFC AT 15 MI. WE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC, THEN CTR CHIDED US, SAYING HE HAD CALLED US 3 TIMES. WE RESPONDED IT WAS THE FIRST TIME ANY OF US HEARD HIM. AT FL295, CTR ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE GOING TO. WE RESPONDED WE WERE CLRED TO FL210. CTR SAID OUR CLRNC WAS TO FL270 AND TO LEVEL AT FL250. WE WERE GIVEN A 30 DEG HDG CHANGE AND THEN DIRECT TO FLAT ROCK. THE FAILURE IN COM WAS THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS SIT. THE CTLR EARLIER HAD COMMENTED THERE WAS A LOT OF STATIC ON THIS FREQ. CTLR BECAME ARGUMENTATIVE WHEN WE RESPONDED WE HADN'T HEARD HIM. WHEN WE READ BACK CLRNC TO FL210, IT WAS NOT CHALLENGED. ALSO, NO COMMENT WAS MADE WHEN FO CALLED PASSING THROUGH FL310.
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.