Narrative:

While on the scurry arrival to dfw, given a clearance to cross a point northwest of sly (channel 112.9) at 10000'. Both captain and first officer understood 10000'. I read back clearance, with emphasis on 10000' because it seemed a little odd for dfw--usually 11000'. Controller acknowledged, and switched to next frequency. I checked in, and reported leaving FL240 for 10000'. Controller acknowledged. Passing 11000' captain started descent to 500 FPM because we were well inside the crossing DME (15-20 nd). Leveled at 10000', 16 NM northwest of scurry. After 5 NM, controller queried our altitude. We confirmed level at 10000'. He gave us an immediate climb to 11000', which we accomplished, and reported that we had been cleared to 10000'. We saw no other traffic nor heard the controller deviate other traffic as a result. Continued and landed uneventfully. Lesson: communication is a 2-WAY deal. The initial controller may have said 11000', but we heard 10000', and read that back. That's the reason we read back all instructions: to see if what we heard is what he said, and vice versa. This becomes even more critical at a busy airport like dfw, when 4-5 instructions are given in 1 transmission. Bottom line: both sides must listen up and confirm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW RECEIVED AND READ BACK 10000' DSNT CLRNC. UPON REACHING, TOLD CLRNC WAS FOR 11000'.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE SCURRY ARR TO DFW, GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS A POINT NW OF SLY (CHANNEL 112.9) AT 10000'. BOTH CAPT AND F/O UNDERSTOOD 10000'. I READ BACK CLRNC, WITH EMPHASIS ON 10000' BECAUSE IT SEEMED A LITTLE ODD FOR DFW--USUALLY 11000'. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED, AND SWITCHED TO NEXT FREQ. I CHKED IN, AND RPTED LEAVING FL240 FOR 10000'. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED. PASSING 11000' CAPT STARTED DSCNT TO 500 FPM BECAUSE WE WERE WELL INSIDE THE XING DME (15-20 ND). LEVELED AT 10000', 16 NM NW OF SCURRY. AFTER 5 NM, CTLR QUERIED OUR ALT. WE CONFIRMED LEVEL AT 10000'. HE GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 11000', WHICH WE ACCOMPLISHED, AND RPTED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 10000'. WE SAW NO OTHER TFC NOR HEARD THE CTLR DEVIATE OTHER TFC AS A RESULT. CONTINUED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. LESSON: COM IS A 2-WAY DEAL. THE INITIAL CTLR MAY HAVE SAID 11000', BUT WE HEARD 10000', AND READ THAT BACK. THAT'S THE REASON WE READ BACK ALL INSTRUCTIONS: TO SEE IF WHAT WE HEARD IS WHAT HE SAID, AND VICE VERSA. THIS BECOMES EVEN MORE CRITICAL AT A BUSY ARPT LIKE DFW, WHEN 4-5 INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN IN 1 XMISSION. BOTTOM LINE: BOTH SIDES MUST LISTEN UP AND CONFIRM.

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.