An EMB145 flight crew fails to cross their assigned crossing point at the correct altitude some mi w...

Attributes
ACN	537651
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fnt.vortac
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18900 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 3055 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	537651
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were approximately 50 NM west of fnt VOR at FL330 when ZOB gave us a crossing restr to cross 15 NM west of fnt VOR at a particular altitude. The captain, who had prior radio problems, read the altitude portion of the clearance as 15000 ft and the controller did not respond by saying 'negative,' but repeated the same clearance again. Fearing that he was again experiencing radio problems, he had me respond to the controller instead. ZOB said that I indeed read back the correct altitude of FL290, not the 15000 ft that we had in the altitude alerter. I believe what happened is that I indeed read back FL290 and had not set this in the altitude alerter because the captain told me after the fact that he actually remembered setting the alerter from FL290 to 15000 ft. Of course, I did not see him do this and therein lies the problem. I am still bewildered that center did not catch our mistake sooner. We were at FL189 before anything was mentioned. And the only thing said at that time was 'stand by for possible pilot deviation.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 FLC FAILS TO CROSS THEIR ASSIGNED XING POINT AT THE CORRECT ALT SOME MI W OF FNT, MI.

Narrative: WE WERE APPROX 50 NM W OF FNT VOR AT FL330 WHEN ZOB GAVE US A XING RESTR TO CROSS 15 NM W OF FNT VOR AT A PARTICULAR ALT. THE CAPT, WHO HAD PRIOR RADIO PROBS, READ THE ALT PORTION OF THE CLRNC AS 15000 FT AND THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND BY SAYING 'NEGATIVE,' BUT REPEATED THE SAME CLRNC AGAIN. FEARING THAT HE WAS AGAIN EXPERIENCING RADIO PROBS, HE HAD ME RESPOND TO THE CTLR INSTEAD. ZOB SAID THAT I INDEED READ BACK THE CORRECT ALT OF FL290, NOT THE 15000 FT THAT WE HAD IN THE ALT ALERTER. I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT I INDEED READ BACK FL290 AND HAD NOT SET THIS IN THE ALT ALERTER BECAUSE THE CAPT TOLD ME AFTER THE FACT THAT HE ACTUALLY REMEMBERED SETTING THE ALERTER FROM FL290 TO 15000 FT. OF COURSE, I DID NOT SEE HIM DO THIS AND THEREIN LIES THE PROB. I AM STILL BEWILDERED THAT CTR DID NOT CATCH OUR MISTAKE SOONER. WE WERE AT FL189 BEFORE ANYTHING WAS MENTIONED. AND THE ONLY THING SAID AT THAT TIME WAS 'STAND BY FOR POSSIBLE PLTDEV.'

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.

An EMB145 flight crew fails to cross their assigned crossing point at the correct altitude some mi west of fnt, mi.