LTSS BTWN COMMUTER AND MIL TRANSPORT AFTER UNCOORD PENETRATION OF ADW ATA AIRSPACE. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Date: 1991-08 · Aircraft: Medium Transport; High Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|airspace-violation-all-types|conflict-airborne-conflict|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

LTSS BTWN COMMUTER AND MIL TRANSPORT AFTER UNCOORD PENETRATION OF ADW ATA AIRSPACE. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative

ON APCH INTO DCA ABOUT 15 MI OUT AND APCHING VICINITY OF ANDREWS AFB. DCA APCH CLRED US FROM 6000 FT TO 2000 FT. MY CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED DSCNT AND I STARTED DOWN AT 1000 FPM. THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY FLT (Z) WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN THAT THIS CTLR HAD PREVIOUSLY CLRED TO 2000 FT. WHEN LEVEL AT 2000 FT WE WERE ASKED 'OUR CALL SIGN; WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS?' MY CAPT REPLIED WITH ASSERTION ' OUR CALL SIGN; WE'RE AT 2000 FT AS ASSIGNED;' OR SIMILAR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. THE CTLR SAID; 'TURN R TO 320.' I SAW AN AIR FORCE TRANSPORT JET Y GO UNDER AND R OF US (ON APCH TO ANDREWS) ABOUT LEVEL 1000 FT BELOW OUR FLT PATH. BOTH OF US HEARD 2000 FT AS AN ASSIGNED ALT FOR OUR ACFT X. I BELIEVE THE CTLR WANTED US AT 3000 FT; NOT 2000 FT; BUT HAD 2000 FT ON HIS MIND; AS HE HAD CLRED COMPANY FLT; Z; TO 2000 FT PREVIOUSLY. IN ANY CASE THE READBACK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT; THE LAST CHANCE TO CORRECT A MISUNDERSTANDING; WAS HEARD AND ACCEPTED WITHOUT COMMENT BY OUR CTLR. MY CAPT ASKED IF HE SHOULD CALL IN THE GND AND THE CTLR SAID 'NO PROBLEM.' I THINK THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM OR I WOULDN'T BE SENDING THIS IN.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.