<< >> NASA ASRS Report 735577, April 2007

B767 crew reports confusion over altitude assignment with a saez controller.

Attributes
ACN	735577
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : saez.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : saez.artcc artcc : sumu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	735577
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	735587
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On climb out; we were switched to ezeiza control on 125.9. The controller cleared us to FL170 then amended the clearance to level at FL80 which we had almost reached. Then the controller cleared us to FL110. At FL105; the controller asked us our altitude which I stated as 10500 ft climbing to 11000 ft. The controller cleared us to level at 10000 ft. I confirmed this but also said that controller had previously cleared us to 11000 ft. I received no response. We descended to 10000 ft. Later we were cleared to 17000 ft and were switched to currasco control. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. At no time did we see traffic close to us or receive a TA/RA on TCAS. The controller seemed not in very good control of us as if the controller didn't have a good picture of what was going on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW RPTS CONFUSION OVER ALT ASSIGNMENT WITH A SAEZ CTLR.

Narrative: ON CLIMB OUT; WE WERE SWITCHED TO EZEIZA CTL ON 125.9. THE CTLR CLRED US TO FL170 THEN AMENDED THE CLRNC TO LEVEL AT FL80 WHICH WE HAD ALMOST REACHED. THEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO FL110. AT FL105; THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT WHICH I STATED AS 10500 FT CLBING TO 11000 FT. THE CTLR CLRED US TO LEVEL AT 10000 FT. I CONFIRMED THIS BUT ALSO SAID THAT CTLR HAD PREVIOUSLY CLRED US TO 11000 FT. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. WE DSNDED TO 10000 FT. LATER WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT AND WERE SWITCHED TO CURRASCO CTL. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT NO TIME DID WE SEE TFC CLOSE TO US OR RECEIVE A TA/RA ON TCAS. THE CTLR SEEMED NOT IN VERY GOOD CTL OF US AS IF THE CTLR DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD PICTURE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

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.