AN ACR MLG MISUNDERSTOOD FL200 FOR 10000 FT IN A DSCNT AND ENDED UP HIGH ON THE DSCNT PROFILE.
Synopsis
AN ACR MLG MISUNDERSTOOD FL200 FOR 10000 FT IN A DSCNT AND ENDED UP HIGH ON THE DSCNT PROFILE.
Narrative
ROUTINE FLT FROM DEN TO MSP. I WAS OFF THE ATC FREQ TO COPY MSP ATIS; AND TO GIVE COMPANY OUR IN-RANGE CALL. WHEN I RETURNED TO FREQ; I ASKED MY FO IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES TO OUR LAST CLRNC. HE TOLD ME THAT ATC HAD CLRED US TO CROSS 20 MI W OF FCM VOR AT FL200. I SAW HE HAD WRITTEN THE CLRNC DOWN ON HIS PAD AS SUCH; AND HAD PROPERLY PROGRAMMED THE FMC. WE WERE ON A NON-STANDARD ROUTING WITH A CLRNC I HAD NEVER RECEIVED IN MSP BEFORE; BUT; I HAD FLOWN WITH THIS PARTICULAR FO MANY TIMES BEFORE. HE IS A VERY COMPETENT PLT AND I HAD NO REASON TO DOUBT THE CLRNC. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THE CLRNC FIX; I WAS QUESTIONED BY ATC AS TO WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. I TOLD HIM FL200. HE NEXT ASKED WHAT OUR LAST CLRNC WAS; AND I TOLD 20 W OF FCM AT FL200. HE IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO 10000 FT. I ASKED WHY HE QUESTIONED US AND WAS TOLD THAT OUR CLRNC WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 20 W OF FCM AT 10000 FT. I QUESTIONED MY FO; WHO SWEARS TO THE ORIGINAL CLRNC. I TOLD ATC AND HE SAID NOT TO WORRY; THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AND IT MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. IN THE FUTURE; WHEN THERE IS A CLRNC CHANGE THAT OCCURS WHEN ONE OF US IS OFF FREQ; I WILL HAVE ATC REPEAT IT FOR BOTH TO HEAR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 245944: ALSO GAVE US A RESTRICTION OF CROSS 20 W OF FCM AT FL200. I PROGRAMMED THIS INTO THE FMC AND ADVISED CAPT OF THE CLRNC WHEN HE WAS DONE TALKING TO COMPANY AND GETTING THE ATIS. AFTER XING 20 W OF FCM AT 200 AND APCHING FCM; ATC (DIFFERENT CTLR) ASKED US WHAT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WHEN WE RESPONDED; WE ALSO ASKED WHY AND HE SAID WE APPEARED HIGH AND THAT STANDARD ALT THERE WAS 10000 FT. I LOOKED AT MY WRITTEN COPY OF THE CLRNC AND COULDN'T TELL IF THE FIRST NUMBER WAS A 1 OR A 2 DUE TO POOR LEGIBILITY. MY RECOLLECTION WAS FL200; BUT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MIXED UP WITH '20 W' I HAD SET 20000 IN THE AUTOPLT MODE CTL PANEL AND PROGRAMMED FL200 IN THE COMPUTER. ATC SAID 'DON'T WORRY;' AND GAVE US FURTHER DSCNT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.