How We Goof with ATC

Periodically, NASAs Aviation Safety Reporting System publishes many of the most meaningful ASRS report submissions that relate to various specific aspects of aviation, such as weather, near-midairs, GPS and the like. We looked at these selected reports covering Air Traffic Control, with a view toward lessons we can learn in dealing with ATC, better practices we can follow, and generally ways to do things better. Youll note two recurring themes. The first is incorrect pilot readbacks of controller instructions and controllers not catching the mistake. The second is pilots turning incorrectly left, right or to the wrong heading, or similar errors with altitude, as in this first case below.

Fred Simonds

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A high number of aviation incidents stem from miscommunication between pilots and ATC, frequently due to incorrect or incomplete pilot readbacks and controllers failing to catch errors, often influenced by "expectation bias."
Pilots often make critical errors by misinterpreting or incorrectly executing ATC instructions, particularly concerning turns, headings, and altitude assignments, leading to safety risks.
To enhance safety, pilots must listen carefully, provide complete readbacks, verify clearances (e.g., MEA), and proactively seek clarification from ATC whenever there is any doubt.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Periodically, NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System publishes many of the most meaningful ASRS report submissions that relate to various specific aspects of aviation, such as weather, near-midairs, GPS and the like. We looked at these selected reports covering Air Traffic Control, with a view toward lessons we can learn in dealing with ATC, better practices we can follow, and generally ways to do things better.

You’ll note two recurring themes. The first is incorrect pilot readbacks of controller instructions and controllers not catching the mistake. The second is pilots turning incorrectly left, right or to the wrong heading, or similar errors with altitude, as in this first case below.