<< >> NASA ASRS Report 567251, November 2002

MD80 crew off lga were given an incorrect climb clearance to 15000 ft, but after handoff to second controller, the altitude was amended to 12000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	567251
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : col.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12600
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	567251
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : overrode automation
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I (F0) was flying radar vectors on departure from lga. During initial climb, ny departure (120.4) cleared us 'direct white intersection, climb and maintain 15000 ft.' captain read back clearance to 15000 ft, set it in the dfgc and pointed. I verbally acknowledged '15000 ft, set and armed.' controller handed us off to ny departure control on 124.75. The captain checked in with the altitude we were passing -- approximately 7500 ft for 15000 ft. The controller acknowledged our check-in. As we climbed past 12600 ft, in the vicinity of the colts neck VOR, the controller asked us to verify leveling at 12000 ft. The captain replied that we were climbing to 15000 ft as cleared. The controller immediately told us to stop climb and descend to 12000 ft. As we leveled off, the controller apologized and said he had missed the altitude on our initial check-in. As we left his frequency, the controller again apologized and said the previous controller should not have cleared us above 12000 ft. He also stated that it was not a problem, since we were able to return to 12000 ft and no conflict had occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW OFF LGA WERE GIVEN AN INCORRECT CLB CLRNC TO 15000 FT, BUT AFTER HDOF TO SECOND CTLR, THE ALT WAS AMENDED TO 12000 FT.

Narrative: I (F0) WAS FLYING RADAR VECTORS ON DEP FROM LGA. DURING INITIAL CLB, NY DEP (120.4) CLRED US 'DIRECT WHITE INTXN, CLB AND MAINTAIN 15000 FT.' CAPT READ BACK CLRNC TO 15000 FT, SET IT IN THE DFGC AND POINTED. I VERBALLY ACKNOWLEDGED '15000 FT, SET AND ARMED.' CTLR HANDED US OFF TO NY DEP CTL ON 124.75. THE CAPT CHKED IN WITH THE ALT WE WERE PASSING -- APPROX 7500 FT FOR 15000 FT. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CHK-IN. AS WE CLBED PAST 12600 FT, IN THE VICINITY OF THE COLTS NECK VOR, THE CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY LEVELING AT 12000 FT. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLBING TO 15000 FT AS CLRED. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO STOP CLB AND DSND TO 12000 FT. AS WE LEVELED OFF, THE CTLR APOLOGIZED AND SAID HE HAD MISSED THE ALT ON OUR INITIAL CHK-IN. AS WE LEFT HIS FREQ, THE CTLR AGAIN APOLOGIZED AND SAID THE PREVIOUS CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE CLRED US ABOVE 12000 FT. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROB, SINCE WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO 12000 FT AND NO CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED.

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.