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A320 flight crew overshot altitude during descent due to late request by ARTCC controller to stop descent early.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 539070 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200202 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mem.airport |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24400 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc tower : ewr.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 539070 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
ZME cleared us out of FL350 to FL240. Then ZME asked us for our best rate of descent to FL240. Around FL265, center asked us to stop the descent at FL250. Told center that we would go through FL250 (due to best rate) before we could level off and climb back to FL250. Descent was stopped at FL244 with an immediate climb back to FL250. Within 60 seconds of leveloff at FL250, center cleared us to FL240 again. If center requests a best descent rate then they need to provide a more timely request to level off early if they expect us to comply in a safe manner.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 FLC OVERSHOT ALT DURING DSCNT DUE TO LATE REQUEST BY ARTCC CTLR TO STOP DSCNT EARLY.
Narrative: ZME CLRED US OUT OF FL350 TO FL240. THEN ZME ASKED US FOR OUR BEST RATE OF DSCNT TO FL240. AROUND FL265, CTR ASKED US TO STOP THE DSCNT AT FL250. TOLD CTR THAT WE WOULD GO THROUGH FL250 (DUE TO BEST RATE) BEFORE WE COULD LEVEL OFF AND CLB BACK TO FL250. DSCNT WAS STOPPED AT FL244 WITH AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO FL250. WITHIN 60 SECONDS OF LEVELOFF AT FL250, CTR CLRED US TO FL240 AGAIN. IF CTR REQUESTS A BEST DSCNT RATE THEN THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A MORE TIMELY REQUEST TO LEVEL OFF EARLY IF THEY EXPECT US TO COMPLY IN A SAFE MANNER.
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.