While working an in-flight equipment malfunction; flight crew may have missed an altitude clearance ...

Attributes
ACN	694080
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
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 : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	694080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 32 flight time total : 317 flight time type : 32
ASRS Report	694227
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a part 91 reposition flight; on leveloff we received a flaps fail caution message. At the same time we were cleared to 17000 ft. Before reaching the fix; we were given direct to another fix down to 11000 ft. At the same time the PNF was running QRH items for a flaps fail caution message; and in the process of contacting company on communication 2 regarding a flaps fail caution message. ATC was also advised of the flaps fail; informed that our maximum speed was limited to 250 and that we might need delay vectors or a hold in order to sort out the caution message with company. (During this whole time we also received several handoffs.) we then requested and received a delay vector; while on the vector we continued the descent down to 11000 ft. At 12000 ft we received an RA on the TCAS and initiated a climb to 13000 ft. During the climb ATC also gave us a climb to 13000 ft. ATC also stated that we were not cleared below 13000 ft. We believe that we were still cleared down to 11000 ft. During this time (between 13000 ft and 11000 ft) company advised us there was no way to fix the problem in the air. So we declared an emergency; advised ATC that our flaps were stuck in a position that was indicating up; and our landing speed would be considerably higher. We requested the longest runway and to have emergency equipment standing by. The landing was uneventful; no injuries; or damage to the aircraft. We had the emergency vehicles verify that our tires and brakes were not on fire and taxied to the gate. At the gate maintenance was brought out to the aircraft. I believe the cause of the RA was either us missing a radio call to stop descent at 13000 ft; or the controller issuing the vectors not knowing that we were cleared down to 11000 ft by the previous controller. In either instance; the only correction that I know of would be better communication between aircraft and ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE WORKING AN INFLT EQUIP MALFUNCTION; FLT CREW MAY HAVE MISSED AN ALT CLRNC AND OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT; RESULTING IN TCAS RA.

Narrative: DURING A PART 91 REPOSITION FLT; ON LEVELOFF WE RECEIVED A FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT. BEFORE REACHING THE FIX; WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT TO ANOTHER FIX DOWN TO 11000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME THE PNF WAS RUNNING QRH ITEMS FOR A FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE; AND IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING COMPANY ON COM 2 REGARDING A FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE. ATC WAS ALSO ADVISED OF THE FLAPS FAIL; INFORMED THAT OUR MAX SPEED WAS LIMITED TO 250 AND THAT WE MIGHT NEED DELAY VECTORS OR A HOLD IN ORDER TO SORT OUT THE CAUTION MESSAGE WITH COMPANY. (DURING THIS WHOLE TIME WE ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL HDOFS.) WE THEN REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A DELAY VECTOR; WHILE ON THE VECTOR WE CONTINUED THE DESCENT DOWN TO 11000 FT. AT 12000 FT WE RECEIVED AN RA ON THE TCAS AND INITIATED A CLB TO 13000 FT. DURING THE CLB ATC ALSO GAVE US A CLB TO 13000 FT. ATC ALSO STATED THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED BELOW 13000 FT. WE BELIEVE THAT WE WERE STILL CLRED DOWN TO 11000 FT. DURING THIS TIME (BETWEEN 13000 FT AND 11000 FT) COMPANY ADVISED US THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX THE PROB IN THE AIR. SO WE DECLARED AN EMER; ADVISED ATC THAT OUR FLAPS WERE STUCK IN A POSITION THAT WAS INDICATING UP; AND OUR LNDG SPEED WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER. WE REQUESTED THE LONGEST RWY AND TO HAVE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL; NO INJURIES; OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WE HAD THE EMER VEHICLES VERIFY THAT OUR TIRES AND BRAKES WERE NOT ON FIRE AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. AT THE GATE MAINT WAS BROUGHT OUT TO THE ACFT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE RA WAS EITHER US MISSING A RADIO CALL TO STOP DESCENT AT 13000 FT; OR THE CTLR ISSUING THE VECTORS NOT KNOWING THAT WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 11000 FT BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. IN EITHER INSTANCE; THE ONLY CORRECTION THAT I KNOW OF WOULD BE BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ACFT AND ATC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

While working an in-flight equipment malfunction; flight crew may have missed an altitude clearance and overshot assigned altitude; resulting in TCAS RA.