<< >> NASA ASRS Report 694703, April 2006

Aircraft in clouds at 6000 ft was assigned descent to 4000 ft by sct controller. As aircraft descends through 5000 ft; terrain warning activates and approach controller assigned altitude is 5000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	694703
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pgy.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	694703
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On IFR flight plan mmsd direct brown field. On vectors with socal east and northeast of field. At 6000 ft we were in and out of clouds; but mostly in clouds. We were over rising terrain; with occasional ground visual contact. A controller gave us a descent to 4000 ft with a heading of about 340 degrees; to turn to 310 degrees. Just out of 5000 ft got egpws 'terrain; pull up.' responded with a climb. A new controller told us we should be at 5000 ft. I leveled off at 5000 ft; and we were given vectors to the VOR-a approach at brown field. There may have been a mistaken call sign earlier; but clearly the controller thought we were somewhere (someone) else. We were not given a 5000 ft altitude until after the 4000 ft clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT IN CLOUDS AT 6000 FT WAS ASSIGNED DSCNT TO 4000 FT BY SCT CTLR. AS ACFT DSNDS THROUGH 5000 FT; TERRAIN WARNING ACTIVATES AND APCH CTLR ASSIGNED ALT IS 5000 FT.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN MMSD DIRECT BROWN FIELD. ON VECTORS WITH SOCAL E AND NE OF FIELD. AT 6000 FT WE WERE IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS; BUT MOSTLY IN CLOUDS. WE WERE OVER RISING TERRAIN; WITH OCCASIONAL GND VISUAL CONTACT. A CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 4000 FT WITH A HDG OF ABOUT 340 DEGS; TO TURN TO 310 DEGS. JUST OUT OF 5000 FT GOT EGPWS 'TERRAIN; PULL UP.' RESPONDED WITH A CLB. A NEW CTLR TOLD US WE SHOULD BE AT 5000 FT. I LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT; AND WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO THE VOR-A APCH AT BROWN FIELD. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MISTAKEN CALL SIGN EARLIER; BUT CLRLY THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE SOMEWHERE (SOMEONE) ELSE. WE WERE NOT GIVEN A 5000 FT ALT UNTIL AFTER THE 4000 FT CLRNC.

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.