ACR WITH ZSE IS CHALLENGED BY CTLR REGARDING ALT REQUEST AND CLRNC; SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO FACILITY REVEALED CTLR IN ERROR ON ALL COUNTS.

2008-08 · NASA ASRS report 802298

Date: 2008-08 · Aircraft: B737-300 · Phase: climb

Anomalies: other-ctlr-handling

Synopsis

ACR WITH ZSE IS CHALLENGED BY CTLR REGARDING ALT REQUEST AND CLRNC; SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO FACILITY REVEALED CTLR IN ERROR ON ALL COUNTS.

Narrative

UPON LEAVING 17000 FT; SEA ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL370. AT THAT POINT THE FO WAS FINISHING RUNNING THE NUMBERS WHICH STATED THAT FL350 WOULD BE THE MAX ALT. WE TOLD ATC THAT WE WERE TOO HVY FOR FL370; AND FL350 WE WERE REQUESTING. ZSE CTLR COMPLETELY LOST HIS COOL; AND CHASTISED COMPANY AND OUR PROCS; AND SAID WE SHOULD RE-FILE OUR FLT PLANS TO LOWER ALTS. I TRIED TO APOLOGIZE TO HIM. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY GAVE US AN OFF-COURSE VECTOR TO FLY 070 DEG HDG AND RECLRED TO FL270. WE BOTH VERIFIED THE HDG AND ALTS AND READ IT BACK TO SEA HIS NEXT CLRNC TO US WAS TO GO DIRECT MWH (MOSES LAKE) AND CLB TO FL280. WE BOTH VERIFIED AFTER THE FO'S READBACK. UPON CLBING THROUGH FL274; SEA SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL270. WE REPLIED; 'YOU CLRED US TO FL280.' HE REPLIED; 'NO I DID NOT; MY LAST CLRNC WAS 070 DEG HDG AND FL270 ONLY.' WE APOLOGIZED AND GOT A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON THE GND. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO SEA SUPVR. HE PULLED THE TAPES AND ASKED FOR MY CELL PHONE TO CALL ME BACK WITH THE RESULTS. 5 MINS LATER; HE CALLED BACK AND ISSUED AN APOLOGY FROM THE ZSE WORKER FOR THEM; ZSE BEING COMPLETELY WRONG; AND TOLD ME HE WAS BEING COUNSELED.

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

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