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B737 crew catch a mistake in a controller assigned altitude just in time to prevent a serious conflict in ZFW airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 602350 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200312 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zfw.artcc |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 271.8 flight time total : 14588.5 flight time type : 2222.4 |
| ASRS Report | 602350 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/ mode c aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
We were on the worth 3 departure out of dal (dallas love), abi transition. About 20 mi east of abi, we were given direct maf. We were at FL200, and were given a clearance to climb to FL280. I read back 'FL280,' dialed it in to the altitude selector, and the captain repeated it out loud, '280.' we were not in a very quick (vertical speed) climb, which turned out to be good. Around 26800 ft, TCASII warned us of the traffic up ahead. (We were already watching that traffic). I said out loud, 'he sure seems to be close!' we did a double take at the TCASII monitor, and that plane was 1000 ft above us (going right to left), which was our assigned altitude! (Ft worth never said anything of the traffic to us.) captain quickly said, 'verify our altitude,' and chopped the power, and lowered the nose. I asked ZFW to 'verify assigned altitude' for our flight. Center said 'maintain FL270!' (captain told me, that is not what they gave us, they told us FL280!) I think at that time, center pointed out the traffic (not sure on that). We stopped the vertical climb at 27200 ft, and eased it back down to 27000 ft. ATC said nothing to us. The other plane said nothing. After that traffic went by, we were cleared to climb to 35000 ft. The rest of the flight went normally. I think the good CRM and communication between captain and I, helped save the day. And let's hear it for TCASII, which gave us an altitude readout of the other guy. I am not sure why center dropped the ball.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 CREW CATCH A MISTAKE IN A CTLR ASSIGNED ALT JUST IN TIME TO PREVENT A SERIOUS CONFLICT IN ZFW AIRSPACE.
Narrative: WE WERE ON THE WORTH 3 DEP OUT OF DAL (DALLAS LOVE), ABI TRANSITION. ABOUT 20 MI E OF ABI, WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT MAF. WE WERE AT FL200, AND WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL280. I READ BACK 'FL280,' DIALED IT IN TO THE ALT SELECTOR, AND THE CAPT REPEATED IT OUT LOUD, '280.' WE WERE NOT IN A VERY QUICK (VERT SPD) CLB, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE GOOD. AROUND 26800 FT, TCASII WARNED US OF THE TFC UP AHEAD. (WE WERE ALREADY WATCHING THAT TFC). I SAID OUT LOUD, 'HE SURE SEEMS TO BE CLOSE!' WE DID A DOUBLE TAKE AT THE TCASII MONITOR, AND THAT PLANE WAS 1000 FT ABOVE US (GOING R TO L), WHICH WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT! (FT WORTH NEVER SAID ANYTHING OF THE TFC TO US.) CAPT QUICKLY SAID, 'VERIFY OUR ALT,' AND CHOPPED THE PWR, AND LOWERED THE NOSE. I ASKED ZFW TO 'VERIFY ASSIGNED ALT' FOR OUR FLT. CTR SAID 'MAINTAIN FL270!' (CAPT TOLD ME, THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY GAVE US, THEY TOLD US FL280!) I THINK AT THAT TIME, CTR POINTED OUT THE TFC (NOT SURE ON THAT). WE STOPPED THE VERT CLB AT 27200 FT, AND EASED IT BACK DOWN TO 27000 FT. ATC SAID NOTHING TO US. THE OTHER PLANE SAID NOTHING. AFTER THAT TFC WENT BY, WE WERE CLRED TO CLB TO 35000 FT. THE REST OF THE FLT WENT NORMALLY. I THINK THE GOOD CRM AND COM BTWN CAPT AND I, HELPED SAVE THE DAY. AND LET'S HEAR IT FOR TCASII, WHICH GAVE US AN ALT READOUT OF THE OTHER GUY. I AM NOT SURE WHY CTR DROPPED THE BALL.
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.