Air carrier widebody transport descends below crossing altitude in descent.

Attributes
ACN	132028
Time
Date	198912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	132028
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were initially cleared to emr VOR, golden gate 1 arrival to sfo. Later we were cleared direct to point reyes to cross 6 mi north of sfo VOR at 6000'. I read this back as 'cross lestr at 6000',' as per the crossing point on the arrival. Later as we were descending through 10000', approach called and told us to check our altitude, and before we could respond cleared us to climb to 11000'. We started our climb at 9500' and returned to 11000' west/O incident. This incident was caused by our misunderstanding the altitude cleared to and the controller not catching our incorrect readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB DESCENDS BELOW CROSSING ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO EMR VOR, GOLDEN GATE 1 ARR TO SFO. LATER WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO POINT REYES TO CROSS 6 MI N OF SFO VOR AT 6000'. I READ THIS BACK AS 'CROSS LESTR AT 6000',' AS PER THE XING POINT ON THE ARR. LATER AS WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 10000', APCH CALLED AND TOLD US TO CHK OUR ALT, AND BEFORE WE COULD RESPOND CLRED US TO CLB TO 11000'. WE STARTED OUR CLB AT 9500' AND RETURNED TO 11000' W/O INCIDENT. THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY OUR MISUNDERSTANDING THE ALT CLRED TO AND THE CTLR NOT CATCHING OUR INCORRECT READBACK.

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.