Narrative:

I issued air carrier X an altitude crossing, 35 southwest of cvg at 12000'. The pilot read back 10000'. I failed to catch the incorrect readback. The aircraft descended to 10000', which is the top altitude owned by sdf approach. When I observed the aircraft at 10000', I climbed him back to 12000' and made a pointout to sdf approach. The aircraft was at no time near any other aircraft during this error. It's basically a violation of airspace, and my failure to remain attentive. It was a slow sat night, and my thoughts momentarily went to my impending divorce. I forgot to leave my personal life at the front door. It's a valuable lesson. I've learned and thankfully nobody got hurt. In the future I'll use sick leave if I can't force myself to concentrate on the matters at hand. Supplemental information from acn 131409: we were descending through FL240 approaching to land at cvg. I was working the radios. ZID cleared us to 'cross 35 southwest of cincinnati at 1-0-thousand, and 250 KTS.' simultaneously, while the controller was giving me the clearance, I wrote it down as he said it (1-0-thousand). I then read back the clearance to the controller. The captain heard the clearance and set 10000' in the altitude alerter. I believe that we were then transferred to the low altitude center frequency. About 1 min after we leveled off at 10000', center asked our altitude. I reported 1-0-thousand. He told us (west/O any sense of urgency) to 'climb and maintain 1-2-thousand.' I reported out of 1-0-thousand for 1-2-thousand. I asked center to verify that we were cleared to 1-0-thousand on our descent clearance. He said: 'negative, you were cleared to 12.' about 1 min later the controller gave us a phone # (ATC quality assurance).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC TRACON INTERFAC COORD CTLR FAILED TO COORDINATE DESCENT INTO APCH CTL AIRSPACE. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: I ISSUED ACR X AN ALT XING, 35 SW OF CVG AT 12000'. THE PLT READ BACK 10000'. I FAILED TO CATCH THE INCORRECT READBACK. THE ACFT DSNDED TO 10000', WHICH IS THE TOP ALT OWNED BY SDF APCH. WHEN I OBSERVED THE ACFT AT 10000', I CLBED HIM BACK TO 12000' AND MADE A POINTOUT TO SDF APCH. THE ACFT WAS AT NO TIME NEAR ANY OTHER ACFT DURING THIS ERROR. IT'S BASICALLY A VIOLATION OF AIRSPACE, AND MY FAILURE TO REMAIN ATTENTIVE. IT WAS A SLOW SAT NIGHT, AND MY THOUGHTS MOMENTARILY WENT TO MY IMPENDING DIVORCE. I FORGOT TO LEAVE MY PERSONAL LIFE AT THE FRONT DOOR. IT'S A VALUABLE LESSON. I'VE LEARNED AND THANKFULLY NOBODY GOT HURT. IN THE FUTURE I'LL USE SICK LEAVE IF I CAN'T FORCE MYSELF TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MATTERS AT HAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 131409: WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH FL240 APCHING TO LAND AT CVG. I WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. ZID CLRED US TO 'CROSS 35 SW OF CINCINNATI AT 1-0-THOUSAND, AND 250 KTS.' SIMULTANEOUSLY, WHILE THE CTLR WAS GIVING ME THE CLRNC, I WROTE IT DOWN AS HE SAID IT (1-0-THOUSAND). I THEN READ BACK THE CLRNC TO THE CTLR. THE CAPT HEARD THE CLRNC AND SET 10000' IN THE ALT ALERTER. I BELIEVE THAT WE WERE THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE LOW ALT CENTER FREQ. ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000', CENTER ASKED OUR ALT. I RPTED 1-0-THOUSAND. HE TOLD US (W/O ANY SENSE OF URGENCY) TO 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 1-2-THOUSAND.' I RPTED OUT OF 1-0-THOUSAND FOR 1-2-THOUSAND. I ASKED CENTER TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 1-0-THOUSAND ON OUR DSCNT CLRNC. HE SAID: 'NEGATIVE, YOU WERE CLRED TO 12.' ABOUT 1 MIN LATER THE CTLR GAVE US A PHONE # (ATC QUALITY ASSURANCE).

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.