What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
No violation of FAR. No enforcement action planned. Aircraft unable to maintain altitude. Descended prior to receiving ATC clearance. ATC did issue control instructions but used wrong call sign. No conflict with other aircraft. (See attached) narrative attached on form 8020-11 signed by david m. boone. At 1805:15Z, NWA796, at FL350, asked if it was possible to go back down to FL310. The controller advised that it would be awhile, but he was now aware of his request. At 1805:35Z, NWA796 advised he was "a bit heavy..." To hold his altitude and requested a vector to get lower. At 1805:56 NWA796 advised he needed to turn because he could not maintain his altitude. At 1806:00 the controller issued a 30 degree left turn and NWA796 acknowledged. Meanwhile another sector turned another aircraft 80 degrees to get them away from NWA796. The other aircraft was descended to FL290 to allow NWA796 to descend. At 1806:23 NWA796 advised he was descending and that he could not hold his altitude (FL350). Traffic was again issued to NWA796 and he was cleared to maintain FL330. NWA796 confirmed that he would be able to maintain FL330.
As the FAA filed it
NO VIOLATION OF FAR. NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION PLANNED. AIRCRAFT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. DESCENDED PRIOR TO RECEIVING ATC CLEARANCE. ATC DID ISSUE CONTROL INSTRUCTIONS BUT USED WRONG CALL SIGN. NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER AIRCRAFT. (SEE ATTACHED) NARRATIVE ATTACHED ON FORM 8020-11 SIGNED BY DAVID M. BOONE. AT 1805:15Z, NWA796, AT FL350, ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GO BACK DOWN TO FL310. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THAT IT WOULD BE AWHILE, BUT HE WAS NOW AWARE OF HIS REQUEST. AT 1805:35Z, NWA796 ADVISED HE WAS "A BIT HEAVY..." TO HOLD HIS ALTITUDE AND REQUESTED A VECTOR TO GET LOWER. AT 1805:56 NWA796 ADVISED HE NEEDED TO TURN BECAUSE HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN HIS ALTITUDE. AT 1806:00 THE CONTROLLER ISSUED A 30 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND NWA796 ACKNOWLEDGED. MEANWHILE ANOTHER SECTOR TURNED ANOTHER AIRCRAFT 80 DEGREES TO GET THEM AWAY FROM NWA796. THE OTHER AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDED TO FL290 TO ALLOW NWA796 TO DESCEND. AT 1806:23 NWA796 ADVISED HE WAS DESCENDING AND THAT HE COULD NOT HOLD HIS ALTITUDE (FL350). TRAFFIC WAS AGAIN ISSUED TO NWA796 AND HE WAS CLEARED TO MAINTAIN FL330. NWA796 CONFIRMED THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN FL330.
Other reports on N671MC · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.