Narrative:

Air carrier large transport west south direct brade with the normal restriction (issued by previous sector) to cross brade at 11000' at 250 KTS. I was working the rocky mount sector at washington center, I accepted the automated handoff on large transport from the sampson sector, the aircraft was still on the sampson sector's frequency when I noticed that the mode C altitude readout showed 10600'. I immediately called the sampson controller and alerted him of the situation and then called the seymour johnson AFB approach control facility to advise them of the altitude deviation (they owned at and below 10000' in the area). They approved a point-out. The aircraft went down to approximately 10300' before climbing back to 11000' (after the sampson controller reassigned 11000'). The sampson sector controller told me that the aircraft has been assigned 11000', but the pilot claimed that he had been assigned 10000'? Radar controller training was taking place at the sampson sector. The sampson sector was busy working a large arrival flow into raleigh durham due to airline hubbing procedures, where everyone either comes and/or goes at the same time. Supplemental information from acn 173017. During descent into rdu air traffic area, operating wash center gave us several heading vectors and descent clrncs. One descent clearance was given to the crew of 10000' and was read back by the crew as descent to 10000'. This was also entered into the altitude alert. Descending through 10500' wash center called and asked us what altitude we were cleared to and we stated 10000'. He immediately told us to climb to 11000' and call level which we did. There were no other comments made by ATC. I believe that the multiple heading and altitude clrncs caused some confusion with either the ATC controller or crew. Use of the standard arrival by ATC rather than off-route vectors could lessen the confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT OVERSHOT ALT ON CROSSING RESTRICTION, READBACK HEARBACK PROBLEM AND CTLR TRAINING IN PROGRESS.

Narrative: ACR LGT W S DIRECT BRADE WITH THE NORMAL RESTRICTION (ISSUED BY PREVIOUS SECTOR) TO CROSS BRADE AT 11000' AT 250 KTS. I WAS WORKING THE ROCKY MOUNT SECTOR AT WASHINGTON CTR, I ACCEPTED THE AUTOMATED HDOF ON LGT FROM THE SAMPSON SECTOR, THE ACFT WAS STILL ON THE SAMPSON SECTOR'S FREQ WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE MODE C ALT READOUT SHOWED 10600'. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SAMPSON CTLR AND ALERTED HIM OF THE SITUATION AND THEN CALLED THE SEYMOUR JOHNSON AFB APCH CTL FAC TO ADVISE THEM OF THE ALT DEV (THEY OWNED AT AND BELOW 10000' IN THE AREA). THEY APPROVED A POINT-OUT. THE ACFT WENT DOWN TO APPROX 10300' BEFORE CLBING BACK TO 11000' (AFTER THE SAMPSON CTLR REASSIGNED 11000'). THE SAMPSON SECTOR CTLR TOLD ME THAT THE ACFT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED 11000', BUT THE PLT CLAIMED THAT HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 10000'? RADAR CTLR TRNING WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE SAMPSON SECTOR. THE SAMPSON SECTOR WAS BUSY WORKING A LARGE ARR FLOW INTO RALEIGH DURHAM DUE TO AIRLINE HUBBING PROCS, WHERE EVERYONE EITHER COMES AND/OR GOES AT THE SAME TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 173017. DURING DSNT INTO RDU ATA, OPERATING WASH CTR GAVE US SEVERAL HDG VECTORS AND DSNT CLRNCS. ONE DSNT CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO THE CREW OF 10000' AND WAS READ BACK BY THE CREW AS DSNT TO 10000'. THIS WAS ALSO ENTERED INTO THE ALT ALERT. DSNDING THROUGH 10500' WASH CTR CALLED AND ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE CLRED TO AND WE STATED 10000'. HE IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO CLB TO 11000' AND CALL LEVEL WHICH WE DID. THERE WERE NO OTHER COMMENTS MADE BY ATC. I BELIEVE THAT THE MULTIPLE HDG AND ALT CLRNCS CAUSED SOME CONFUSION WITH EITHER THE ATC CTLR OR CREW. USE OF THE STANDARD ARR BY ATC RATHER THAN OFF-RTE VECTORS COULD LESSEN THE CONFUSION.

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.