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B737 flight crew question ZMA clearance to maintain FL230 when they are already descending through FL224.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 538712 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mia.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22400 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 538712 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Center cleared us down from FL250 to 13000 ft. We read back the clearance and started down. At FL224, center asked us to level at FL230. We responded 'we are out of FL224' and then he said to level off at FL220 then. This at first startled us, no doubt, but a quick check of the TCASII showed no close traffic. I find this type of clearance very odd. If he can see he has a problem with our descent, one would think that he could see we were well below FL230, maybe radar is slower than I think.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 FLC QUESTION ZMA CLRNC TO MAINTAIN FL230 WHEN THEY ARE ALREADY DSNDING THROUGH FL224.
Narrative: CTR CLRED US DOWN FROM FL250 TO 13000 FT. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND STARTED DOWN. AT FL224, CTR ASKED US TO LEVEL AT FL230. WE RESPONDED 'WE ARE OUT OF FL224' AND THEN HE SAID TO LEVEL OFF AT FL220 THEN. THIS AT FIRST STARTLED US, NO DOUBT, BUT A QUICK CHK OF THE TCASII SHOWED NO CLOSE TFC. I FIND THIS TYPE OF CLRNC VERY ODD. IF HE CAN SEE HE HAS A PROB WITH OUR DSCNT, ONE WOULD THINK THAT HE COULD SEE WE WERE WELL BELOW FL230, MAYBE RADAR IS SLOWER THAN I THINK.
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.