Altitude deviation undershoot on descent.

Attributes
ACN	119656
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : huo
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	119656
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Boston center issued us a clearance to cross 10 mi north of huguenot VOR at what we thought was 10,000' MSL. We weren't sure what we had heard so we asked for the clearance. Again, we heard 'cross 10 north of huo at 10,000'. My first officer read back the clearance as just that. At the VOR center asked us to confirm our descent clearance to 6000'. We said no, that we had crossed 10 north at huo at 10,000'. Center said 'yeah, I thought that was what you were doing, no problem, descend now and maintain 6000'.' obviously we had misheard the clearance twice and the controller had failed to correct us when we read back the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOOT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: BOSTON CENTER ISSUED US A CLRNC TO CROSS 10 MI N OF HUGUENOT VOR AT WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS 10,000' MSL. WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT WE HAD HEARD SO WE ASKED FOR THE CLRNC. AGAIN, WE HEARD 'CROSS 10 N OF HUO AT 10,000'. MY F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC AS JUST THAT. AT THE VOR CENTER ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR DSCNT CLRNC TO 6000'. WE SAID NO, THAT WE HAD CROSSED 10 N AT HUO AT 10,000'. CENTER SAID 'YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT YOU WERE DOING, NO PROBLEM, DSND NOW AND MAINTAIN 6000'.' OBVIOUSLY WE HAD MISHEARD THE CLRNC TWICE AND THE CTLR HAD FAILED TO CORRECT US WHEN WE READ BACK THE CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.