Narrative:

While on a flight from ewr to syr, we began our approach into the syr area. I was first officer and the captain was flying the aircraft. I left center frequency in order to listen to the ATIS and talk to company operations. When I returned to center frequency the captain informed me that we had been cleared to cross 35 NM east of syr at 10000' MSL. After descending to 10000', we were instructed to contact syr approach. The approach controller was very surprised that we were at 10000'. He told us that the normal procedure was for myc to clear inbound aircraft down to 11000' and then instruct them to contact syr. This information of course caused us to question whether or not the captain had correctly understood the clearance. The syr controller advised us that no conflict had resulted. This is yet another case of a possible clearance deviation while one flight crew member is not monitoring the ATC frequency. All ATC communications should be monitored and verified by each pilot whenever possible. This especially important in the case of altitude assignments and crossing restrictions. Situations such as this could easily be avoided in ACARS equipped aircraft by using ACARS to obtain ATIS and gate information, etc. The technology required to do this has existed for yrs. Unfortunately, it will probably take a major accident before the airlines begin to fully utilize this equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT FROM EWR TO SYR, WE BEGAN OUR APCH INTO THE SYR AREA. I WAS F/O AND THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. I LEFT CTR FREQ IN ORDER TO LISTEN TO THE ATIS AND TALK TO COMPANY OPS. WHEN I RETURNED TO CTR FREQ THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS 35 NM E OF SYR AT 10000' MSL. AFTER DSNDING TO 10000', WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT SYR APCH. THE APCH CTLR WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT WE WERE AT 10000'. HE TOLD US THAT THE NORMAL PROC WAS FOR MYC TO CLR INBND ACFT DOWN TO 11000' AND THEN INSTRUCT THEM TO CONTACT SYR. THIS INFO OF COURSE CAUSED US TO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THE CAPT HAD CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC. THE SYR CTLR ADVISED US THAT NO CONFLICT HAD RESULTED. THIS IS YET ANOTHER CASE OF A POSSIBLE CLRNC DEV WHILE ONE FLT CREW MEMBER IS NOT MONITORING THE ATC FREQ. ALL ATC COMS SHOULD BE MONITORED AND VERIFIED BY EACH PLT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THIS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CASE OF ALT ASSIGNMENTS AND XING RESTRICTIONS. SITUATIONS SUCH AS THIS COULD EASILY BE AVOIDED IN ACARS EQUIPPED ACFT BY USING ACARS TO OBTAIN ATIS AND GATE INFO, ETC. THE TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED TO DO THIS HAS EXISTED FOR YRS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE A MAJOR ACCIDENT BEFORE THE AIRLINES BEGIN TO FULLY UTILIZE THIS EQUIP.

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.