Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation crossing restriction not met.

Attributes
ACN	144007
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : elz
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 13600
ASRS Report	144007
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While I was giving the passenger announcement, the copilot received a descent clearance from ZNY. The clearance was to have instructed us to cross 50 mi south of wellsville VOR at FL220. The first officer misread the clearance. He read back the clearance indicating he understood the distance to be 50 mi south of the bur at FL220. Center rogered the clearance readback never catching the mistaken readback. I, being off center, rogered the clearance instructions were received, never heard any of center's clearance instructions. Because the first officer showed no signs of confusion with the clearance, I accepted his word on the clearance restrictions. Center called us a we passed 25000' on our descent asking what our DME was reading from elz VOR. We responded saying it was reading 34 DME. Center then restated that our clearance was to have had us cross 50 mi south of wellsville VOR at FL220. The first officer immediately restated his readback of the clearance to the ZNY controller. The center controllers remained silent. I questioned center about a possible traffic conflict. Center responded by saying that none had occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS GIVING THE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT, THE COPLT RECEIVED A DSNT CLRNC FROM ZNY. THE CLRNC WAS TO HAVE INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS 50 MI S OF WELLSVILLE VOR AT FL220. THE F/O MISREAD THE CLRNC. HE READ BACK THE CLRNC INDICATING HE UNDERSTOOD THE DISTANCE TO BE 50 MI S OF THE BUR AT FL220. CENTER ROGERED THE CLRNC READBACK NEVER CATCHING THE MISTAKEN READBACK. I, BEING OFF CENTER, ROGERED THE CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS WERE RECEIVED, NEVER HEARD ANY OF CENTER'S CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS. BECAUSE THE F/O SHOWED NO SIGNS OF CONFUSION WITH THE CLRNC, I ACCEPTED HIS WORD ON THE CLRNC RESTRICTIONS. CENTER CALLED US A WE PASSED 25000' ON OUR DSNT ASKING WHAT OUR DME WAS READING FROM ELZ VOR. WE RESPONDED SAYING IT WAS READING 34 DME. CENTER THEN RESTATED THAT OUR CLRNC WAS TO HAVE HAD US CROSS 50 MI S OF WELLSVILLE VOR AT FL220. THE F/O IMMEDIATELY RESTATED HIS READBACK OF THE CLRNC TO THE ZNY CTLR. THE CENTER CTLRS REMAINED SILENT. I QUESTIONED CENTER ABOUT A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT. CENTER RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT NONE HAD OCCURRED.

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.