Air carrier mlt altitude overshoots in descenton malay 1 STAR to sea.

Attributes
ACN	145949
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olm airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach 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 : 180 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	145949
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was arriving in sea from sfo. Arrs were being conducted via the malay 1 arrival, which is a recent revised implementation for northbound arrs into sea. Inbound traffic to sea was heavy and multiple altitude restrictions and frequency changes were being issued by approach control. After departing the olympia VOR and tracking outbnd on the 019 degree right we were given as a speed restriction of 210 KTS and a descent to 10000'. We were proceeding to fourt intersection and anticipating the 340 degree heading for radar vectors to runway 16. The frequency was congested and approach control was stepped on several times. We were given a radar vector across the approach corridor with an explanation of 'vectors for an east downwind for runway 16' and at some time in this change of the arrival procedure along with the frequency congestion we were cleared to 9000'. While established on the downwind vector track and approaching 10000', I checked the altitude alerter, noted the 9000' that was set, and made the call 'out of 10 for 9--1 to go,' and descended to 9000'. A couple of mins later approach control called and asked for our altitude. We replied 9000'. Approach control replied, 'you were cleared to 10--now descend to 7000.' the remainder of the approach was conducted normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLT ALT OVERSHOOTS IN DESCENTON MALAY 1 STAR TO SEA.

Narrative: FLT WAS ARRIVING IN SEA FROM SFO. ARRS WERE BEING CONDUCTED VIA THE MALAY 1 ARR, WHICH IS A RECENT REVISED IMPLEMENTATION FOR NBND ARRS INTO SEA. INBND TFC TO SEA WAS HEAVY AND MULTIPLE ALT RESTRICTIONS AND FREQ CHANGES WERE BEING ISSUED BY APCH CTL. AFTER DEPARTING THE OLYMPIA VOR AND TRACKING OUTBND ON THE 019 DEG R WE WERE GIVEN AS A SPD RESTRICTION OF 210 KTS AND A DSNT TO 10000'. WE WERE PROCEEDING TO FOURT INTXN AND ANTICIPATING THE 340 DEG HDG FOR RADAR VECTORS TO RWY 16. THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED AND APCH CTL WAS STEPPED ON SEVERAL TIMES. WE WERE GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR ACROSS THE APCH CORRIDOR WITH AN EXPLANATION OF 'VECTORS FOR AN E DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16' AND AT SOME TIME IN THIS CHANGE OF THE ARR PROC ALONG WITH THE FREQ CONGESTION WE WERE CLRED TO 9000'. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE DOWNWIND VECTOR TRACK AND APCHING 10000', I CHKED THE ALT ALERTER, NOTED THE 9000' THAT WAS SET, AND MADE THE CALL 'OUT OF 10 FOR 9--1 TO GO,' AND DSNDED TO 9000'. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER APCH CTL CALLED AND ASKED FOR OUR ALT. WE REPLIED 9000'. APCH CTL REPLIED, 'YOU WERE CLRED TO 10--NOW DSND TO 7000.' THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS CONDUCTED NORMALLY.

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.