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MD82 flight crew climbed from assigned and turned to the wrong heading after misinterping ARTCC controller clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 518976 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : yng.vor |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 23300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc tower : ith.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-82 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| 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 : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1600 |
| ASRS Report | 518976 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot 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 ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Climbing, day VFR, V115 buf-jhw, clearance by ZOB to FL210 as final. Shortly thereafter, clearance to FL220 and again (as we understood to FL270), and heading 270 degrees (for traffic). As aircraft passed FL233 for FL270, query by ZOB for altitude. Controller then stated that he wanted a heading of 227 degrees (very strange) and altitude limit of FL220. Air crew then directed to maintain heading 270 degrees and 'take your time' to return to FL220. Both accomplished without incident or threat of conflict. In brief, the clearance of 227 degrees/FL220 was understood by air crew as 270 degrees and FL270. Readback did not catch the misunderstanding.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD82 FLC CLBED FROM ASSIGNED AND TURNED TO THE WRONG HDG AFTER MISINTERPING ARTCC CTLR CLRNC.
Narrative: CLBING, DAY VFR, V115 BUF-JHW, CLRNC BY ZOB TO FL210 AS FINAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CLRNC TO FL220 AND AGAIN (AS WE UNDERSTOOD TO FL270), AND HDG 270 DEGS (FOR TFC). AS ACFT PASSED FL233 FOR FL270, QUERY BY ZOB FOR ALT. CTLR THEN STATED THAT HE WANTED A HDG OF 227 DEGS (VERY STRANGE) AND ALT LIMIT OF FL220. AIR CREW THEN DIRECTED TO MAINTAIN HDG 270 DEGS AND 'TAKE YOUR TIME' TO RETURN TO FL220. BOTH ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR THREAT OF CONFLICT. IN BRIEF, THE CLRNC OF 227 DEGS/FL220 WAS UNDERSTOOD BY AIR CREW AS 270 DEGS AND FL270. READBACK DID NOT CATCH THE MISUNDERSTANDING.
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.