Why would a plane drop 14.000 ft mid flight?

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Just noticed American Airlines flight 221 dropped 14.000 ft mid flight today. Curious, what could have caused this?



Here are the flight details.




altitude descent turbulence cruise




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    Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
    – abelenky
    Aug 12 at 2:48














up vote
1
down vote

favorite












Just noticed American Airlines flight 221 dropped 14.000 ft mid flight today. Curious, what could have caused this?



Here are the flight details.




altitude descent turbulence cruise




share|improve this question


















  • 3




    Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
    – abelenky
    Aug 12 at 2:48












up vote
1
down vote

favorite









up vote
1
down vote

favorite











Just noticed American Airlines flight 221 dropped 14.000 ft mid flight today. Curious, what could have caused this?



Here are the flight details.




altitude descent turbulence cruise




share|improve this question














Just noticed American Airlines flight 221 dropped 14.000 ft mid flight today. Curious, what could have caused this?



Here are the flight details.





altitude descent turbulence cruise





share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Aug 11 at 23:26









Noah Krasser

5,37712780




5,37712780










asked Aug 11 at 22:53









M Daniel

91




91







  • 3




    Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
    – abelenky
    Aug 12 at 2:48












  • 3




    Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
    – abelenky
    Aug 12 at 2:48







3




3




Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
– abelenky
Aug 12 at 2:48




Do you honestly believe the plane "dropped" 14,000 feet?
– abelenky
Aug 12 at 2:48










1 Answer
1






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up vote
12
down vote













I looked up the flight on Flightradar24.com. The descent starts at 16:10 UTC and ends at 16:29 UTC, going from 38.000 feet to 24.000 feet. So, the aircraft descended 14.000 feet in 19 minutes.



14.000 divided by 19 makes roughly 750 feet per minute, which is a relatively normal descent rate for airliners.



The cause for this is probably an ATC instruction. The descent starts around 20 minutes ahead of the border of the U.S.A and ends directly in front of it (SSM VOR is the entry point to US Airspace).



FR24



Source



So, this is probably the cause for the descent: The pilots contacted the US controller around 20 minutes ahead of them entering US airspace. The controller then instructed the pilots to descent to 24.000 feet and reach this altitude at the SSM VOR. So, no uncontrolled drop there.






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    1 Answer
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    up vote
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    down vote













    I looked up the flight on Flightradar24.com. The descent starts at 16:10 UTC and ends at 16:29 UTC, going from 38.000 feet to 24.000 feet. So, the aircraft descended 14.000 feet in 19 minutes.



    14.000 divided by 19 makes roughly 750 feet per minute, which is a relatively normal descent rate for airliners.



    The cause for this is probably an ATC instruction. The descent starts around 20 minutes ahead of the border of the U.S.A and ends directly in front of it (SSM VOR is the entry point to US Airspace).



    FR24



    Source



    So, this is probably the cause for the descent: The pilots contacted the US controller around 20 minutes ahead of them entering US airspace. The controller then instructed the pilots to descent to 24.000 feet and reach this altitude at the SSM VOR. So, no uncontrolled drop there.






    share|improve this answer


























      up vote
      12
      down vote













      I looked up the flight on Flightradar24.com. The descent starts at 16:10 UTC and ends at 16:29 UTC, going from 38.000 feet to 24.000 feet. So, the aircraft descended 14.000 feet in 19 minutes.



      14.000 divided by 19 makes roughly 750 feet per minute, which is a relatively normal descent rate for airliners.



      The cause for this is probably an ATC instruction. The descent starts around 20 minutes ahead of the border of the U.S.A and ends directly in front of it (SSM VOR is the entry point to US Airspace).



      FR24



      Source



      So, this is probably the cause for the descent: The pilots contacted the US controller around 20 minutes ahead of them entering US airspace. The controller then instructed the pilots to descent to 24.000 feet and reach this altitude at the SSM VOR. So, no uncontrolled drop there.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        12
        down vote










        up vote
        12
        down vote









        I looked up the flight on Flightradar24.com. The descent starts at 16:10 UTC and ends at 16:29 UTC, going from 38.000 feet to 24.000 feet. So, the aircraft descended 14.000 feet in 19 minutes.



        14.000 divided by 19 makes roughly 750 feet per minute, which is a relatively normal descent rate for airliners.



        The cause for this is probably an ATC instruction. The descent starts around 20 minutes ahead of the border of the U.S.A and ends directly in front of it (SSM VOR is the entry point to US Airspace).



        FR24



        Source



        So, this is probably the cause for the descent: The pilots contacted the US controller around 20 minutes ahead of them entering US airspace. The controller then instructed the pilots to descent to 24.000 feet and reach this altitude at the SSM VOR. So, no uncontrolled drop there.






        share|improve this answer














        I looked up the flight on Flightradar24.com. The descent starts at 16:10 UTC and ends at 16:29 UTC, going from 38.000 feet to 24.000 feet. So, the aircraft descended 14.000 feet in 19 minutes.



        14.000 divided by 19 makes roughly 750 feet per minute, which is a relatively normal descent rate for airliners.



        The cause for this is probably an ATC instruction. The descent starts around 20 minutes ahead of the border of the U.S.A and ends directly in front of it (SSM VOR is the entry point to US Airspace).



        FR24



        Source



        So, this is probably the cause for the descent: The pilots contacted the US controller around 20 minutes ahead of them entering US airspace. The controller then instructed the pilots to descent to 24.000 feet and reach this altitude at the SSM VOR. So, no uncontrolled drop there.







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Aug 11 at 23:28

























        answered Aug 11 at 23:13









        Noah Krasser

        5,37712780




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