Large transport flight crew overshoots altitude in descent.

Attributes
ACN	120024
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	120024
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Inbound from pappi to ord was cleared to descend to 7000'. First officer read back 7000 with no response from approach. After leveling at 7, called approach for confirmation of altitude. Approach said that we had been cleared to 8 but that 7 was ok. When we received the clearance the captain set 7000 in the altitude alerter and I confirmed that I also heard 7.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLT CREW OVERSHOOTS ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: INBND FROM PAPPI TO ORD WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 7000'. F/O READ BACK 7000 WITH NO RESPONSE FROM APCH. AFTER LEVELING AT 7, CALLED APCH FOR CONFIRMATION OF ALT. APCH SAID THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 8 BUT THAT 7 WAS OK. WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC THE CAPT SET 7000 IN THE ALT ALERTER AND I CONFIRMED THAT I ALSO HEARD 7.

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.