Narrative:

While en route to phl, ZDC gave us direct gve via flight plan route. Phl approach control cleared us to cross jaybo at 15000'. So we were flying the dupont 3 arrival chart 10-2B dated 12/90 at depicted. I mistakenly started descent to 10000' so as to cross terri at 10000' at 250 KTS, as this was our flight plan route arrival. We were really expediting our descent as we had 600 KTS G/south. One aircraft had just missed the approach and the controller was quite busy. The first officer said she did not think we were cleared to 10000', so I stopped my descent and started climb back to 15000' while the first officer confirmed our altitude clearance. The controller told her we were not cleared to 10000' but to maintain 13000', at which point I was at 15000'. I thought the 13000' was for another aircraft, so had the first officer reconfirm we were to descend to 13000', at which time the controller said we should be at 13000'. I apologized for the confusion and said I thought we were to cross terri at 10000' as depicted on the arrival chart. The controller then said you can expect to cross terri at 10000', but that we had not been cleared to 10000'. He said the clearance was all on tape. I apologized for the confusion. He said, 'be more careful.' I apologized and thanked him for the assistance. WX at time of approach was 700' overcast, 1/2 RF. I would never make this mistake under normal conditions. I attribute it to the long day I'd already had. I failed to note on the arrival chart the note that said 'expect' to cross at 10000'. My duty day officially started T xx show at dfw, but I had been talking with dfw operations and sdf operations all day trying to determine when our aircraft would be up. As it had an engine deice valve problem and icing was forecast and reported at sdf and phl. Additionally I had one of those fretful nights with not that much sleep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVT BEINS DESCENT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO PHL, ZDC GAVE US DIRECT GVE VIA FLT PLAN RTE. PHL APCH CTL CLRED US TO CROSS JAYBO AT 15000'. SO WE WERE FLYING THE DUPONT 3 ARR CHART 10-2B DATED 12/90 AT DEPICTED. I MISTAKENLY STARTED DSNT TO 10000' SO AS TO CROSS TERRI AT 10000' AT 250 KTS, AS THIS WAS OUR FLT PLAN RTE ARR. WE WERE REALLY EXPEDITING OUR DSNT AS WE HAD 600 KTS G/S. ONE ACFT HAD JUST MISSED THE APCH AND THE CTLR WAS QUITE BUSY. THE F/O SAID SHE DID NOT THINK WE WERE CLRED TO 10000', SO I STOPPED MY DSNT AND STARTED CLB BACK TO 15000' WHILE THE F/O CONFIRMED OUR ALT CLRNC. THE CTLR TOLD HER WE WERE NOT CLRED TO 10000' BUT TO MAINTAIN 13000', AT WHICH POINT I WAS AT 15000'. I THOUGHT THE 13000' WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT, SO HAD THE F/O RECONFIRM WE WERE TO DSND TO 13000', AT WHICH TIME THE CTLR SAID WE SHOULD BE AT 13000'. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION AND SAID I THOUGHT WE WERE TO CROSS TERRI AT 10000' AS DEPICTED ON THE ARR CHART. THE CTLR THEN SAID YOU CAN EXPECT TO CROSS TERRI AT 10000', BUT THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO 10000'. HE SAID THE CLRNC WAS ALL ON TAPE. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION. HE SAID, 'BE MORE CAREFUL.' I APOLOGIZED AND THANKED HIM FOR THE ASSISTANCE. WX AT TIME OF APCH WAS 700' OVCST, 1/2 RF. I WOULD NEVER MAKE THIS MISTAKE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. I ATTRIBUTE IT TO THE LONG DAY I'D ALREADY HAD. I FAILED TO NOTE ON THE ARR CHART THE NOTE THAT SAID 'EXPECT' TO CROSS AT 10000'. MY DUTY DAY OFFICIALLY STARTED T XX SHOW AT DFW, BUT I HAD BEEN TALKING WITH DFW OPS AND SDF OPS ALL DAY TRYING TO DETERMINE WHEN OUR ACFT WOULD BE UP. AS IT HAD AN ENG DEICE VALVE PROB AND ICING WAS FORECAST AND RPTED AT SDF AND PHL. ADDITIONALLY I HAD ONE OF THOSE FRETFUL NIGHTS WITH NOT THAT MUCH SLEEP.

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.