Narrative:

Copilot was flying left seat. I was in right seat operating radios. Approach gave us a left turn to 090 degree and descent to ? Feet. We were at 9000'. I missed altitude cleared to. Copilot thought it was 5000'. I asked approach to 'verify cleared to 5000'.' the reply was simply a 'five', but it was land and clear, we both understood it and I just thought a controller was being smart, making his point, showing his disdain for me missing an altitude. I repeated to make sure I had it right, 'cleared down to 5000'.' no disagreement from the controller (no response at all, as is customary when repeating a clearance). Descending through 6200' the controller called and asked our altitude. I responded 'passing 6200 for 5000.' the controller informed us we were cleared to 7000 only. A major factor, I believe, in this error is the altitude of controllers to, by the tone of their voice if not right out verbally, put down a pilot who missed or got a clearance wrong. It causes some of us to not want to raise their ire. May be pilots need a good copout like 'who called, I was on the other line.' I concede there is no substitute for getting a clearance clarified when need be, but controllers need to realize that we are working in an imperfect environment too, and have other distractions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CORP SMT MISSES ALT ASSIGNMENT AND WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO VERIFY THE CTLR GAVE A TERSE RESPONSE THAT WAS INTERPRETED AS A VERIFICATION OF 5000'. ACTUAL ALT ASSIGNMENT WAS 7000' AND ACFT DESCENDED TO 6200' BEFORE CTLR QUESTIONED THE FLT CREW.

Narrative: COPLT WAS FLYING LEFT SEAT. I WAS IN RIGHT SEAT OPERATING RADIOS. APCH GAVE US A LEFT TURN TO 090 DEG AND DSCNT TO ? FEET. WE WERE AT 9000'. I MISSED ALT CLRED TO. COPLT THOUGHT IT WAS 5000'. I ASKED APCH TO 'VERIFY CLRED TO 5000'.' THE REPLY WAS SIMPLY A 'FIVE', BUT IT WAS LAND AND CLEAR, WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD IT AND I JUST THOUGHT A CTLR WAS BEING SMART, MAKING HIS POINT, SHOWING HIS DISDAIN FOR ME MISSING AN ALT. I REPEATED TO MAKE SURE I HAD IT RIGHT, 'CLRED DOWN TO 5000'.' NO DISAGREEMENT FROM THE CTLR (NO RESPONSE AT ALL, AS IS CUSTOMARY WHEN REPEATING A CLRNC). DESCENDING THROUGH 6200' THE CTLR CALLED AND ASKED OUR ALT. I RESPONDED 'PASSING 6200 FOR 5000.' THE CTLR INFORMED US WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 ONLY. A MAJOR FACTOR, I BELIEVE, IN THIS ERROR IS THE ALT OF CTLRS TO, BY THE TONE OF THEIR VOICE IF NOT RIGHT OUT VERBALLY, PUT DOWN A PLT WHO MISSED OR GOT A CLRNC WRONG. IT CAUSES SOME OF US TO NOT WANT TO RAISE THEIR IRE. MAY BE PLTS NEED A GOOD COPOUT LIKE 'WHO CALLED, I WAS ON THE OTHER LINE.' I CONCEDE THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GETTING A CLRNC CLARIFIED WHEN NEED BE, BUT CTLRS NEED TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE WORKING IN AN IMPERFECT ENVIRONMENT TOO, AND HAVE OTHER DISTRACTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.