A delayed altitude clearance is finally received by the flight crew of an inbound B737-300 when they detect some level of distraction in the center controller during conversations with another aircraft ahead and below them at bunts intersection, PA.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	588647
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : bunts
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Do 328 TP (Turboprop)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	588647
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Controller gave descent to 11000 ft on bunts arrival to phl, still west of bunts, expecting to cross it at 8000 ft. Holding clrncs given to 2 airplanes ahead of us. One of which was a dornier 328 below us. We were pointed out to him as overtaking traffic, above his altitude. Much talk between him and ATC, at one point it sounded like ATC called him by our call sign, ABC123. I told ATC 'that was air carrier xyz that answered your transmission,' or something to that effect. Controller said 'ok,' or something, implying that no one missed a clearance. Anyway, we were given holding instructions prior to bunts and I read back the clearance, including our altitude of 11000 ft. When we got to bunts and entered the hold at 11000 ft, I reported entering holding. ATC said 'say your altitude.' I replied 11000 ft and we were given a vector out of the hold, and a descent to 8000 ft. I think the air carrier xyz exchange might have thrown the controller off, causing us to never get what was apparently the intended clearance to 8000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DELAYED ALT CLRNC IS FINALLY RECEIVED BY THE FLT CREW OF AN INBOUND B737-300 WHEN THEY DETECT SOME LEVEL OF DISTR IN THE CTR CTLR DURING CONVERSATIONS WITH ANOTHER ACFT AHEAD AND BELOW THEM AT BUNTS INTXN, PA.

Narrative: CTLR GAVE DSCNT TO 11000 FT ON BUNTS ARR TO PHL, STILL W OF BUNTS, EXPECTING TO CROSS IT AT 8000 FT. HOLDING CLRNCS GIVEN TO 2 AIRPLANES AHEAD OF US. ONE OF WHICH WAS A DORNIER 328 BELOW US. WE WERE POINTED OUT TO HIM AS OVERTAKING TFC, ABOVE HIS ALT. MUCH TALK BTWN HIM AND ATC, AT ONE POINT IT SOUNDED LIKE ATC CALLED HIM BY OUR CALL SIGN, ABC123. I TOLD ATC 'THAT WAS ACR XYZ THAT ANSWERED YOUR XMISSION,' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. CTLR SAID 'OK,' OR SOMETHING, IMPLYING THAT NO ONE MISSED A CLRNC. ANYWAY, WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO BUNTS AND I READ BACK THE CLRNC, INCLUDING OUR ALT OF 11000 FT. WHEN WE GOT TO BUNTS AND ENTERED THE HOLD AT 11000 FT, I RPTED ENTERING HOLDING. ATC SAID 'SAY YOUR ALT.' I REPLIED 11000 FT AND WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OUT OF THE HOLD, AND A DSCNT TO 8000 FT. I THINK THE ACR XYZ EXCHANGE MIGHT HAVE THROWN THE CTLR OFF, CAUSING US TO NEVER GET WHAT WAS APPARENTLY THE INTENDED CLRNC TO 8000 FT.

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.