Didn't this all come about due to the CFIT near KL quite a few years ago by a cargo operator (Flying Tigers, I think)? Must have been late 80's or early 90's.
"Descend two four hundred feet" was mis-understood to be "Descend to four hundred feet!" If memory serves, it was a highly "experienced" crew who took the offer of an unexpected non-precision approach at the last minute without an adequate brief. Seems incredible that they would have descended to 400 feet QNH when they really had no idea where they were. I haven't revisited the accident report so I am not completely sure of my facts but I seem to remember that it was about then that the standard phraseology was completely re-written.
Hence the dreaded 'altitude' word.
Hardly ideal but is there a better standard we should use?
ES
Last edited by Edmund Spencer; 29th May 2012 at 11:14.