Air carrier given crossing restriction, unable. Controller says FL190 given, pilot read back '11000 ...

Attributes
ACN	240712
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bty
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	240712
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route to las from reno we were given a descent to cross 'fuzzy' intersection at 11000 ft. The first officer was off the frequency (with ATIS) and I acknowledged 11000 ft. When the first officer returned, I explained we had clearance to cross fuzzy intersection at 11000 ft, and I called out to ATC 'we were leaving altitude to 11000 ft,' which center 'rogered.' as we both realized it soon became difficult to make this crossing restriction, ATC asked what altitude I was going to and told me to level off at 13000 ft as we passed 14000 ft. I told ATC we were given fuzzy intersection at 11000 ft, to which he replied '19000 ft.' it did not appear any harm had been done as the controller had a very relaxed voice. He said 'you may have read back 11000 ft but you were given FL190.' I was just a bit confused as I read back '11000' twice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR GIVEN XING RESTRICTION, UNABLE. CTLR SAYS FL190 GIVEN, PLT READ BACK '11000 FT.'

Narrative: ENRTE TO LAS FROM RENO WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO CROSS 'FUZZY' INTXN AT 11000 FT. THE FO WAS OFF THE FREQ (WITH ATIS) AND I ACKNOWLEDGED 11000 FT. WHEN THE FO RETURNED, I EXPLAINED WE HAD CLRNC TO CROSS FUZZY INTXN AT 11000 FT, AND I CALLED OUT TO ATC 'WE WERE LEAVING ALT TO 11000 FT,' WHICH CTR 'ROGERED.' AS WE BOTH REALIZED IT SOON BECAME DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS XING RESTRICTION, ATC ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS GOING TO AND TOLD ME TO LEVEL OFF AT 13000 FT AS WE PASSED 14000 FT. I TOLD ATC WE WERE GIVEN FUZZY INTXN AT 11000 FT, TO WHICH HE REPLIED '19000 FT.' IT DID NOT APPEAR ANY HARM HAD BEEN DONE AS THE CTLR HAD A VERY RELAXED VOICE. HE SAID 'YOU MAY HAVE READ BACK 11000 FT BUT YOU WERE GIVEN FL190.' I WAS JUST A BIT CONFUSED AS I READ BACK '11000' TWICE.

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.

Air carrier given crossing restriction, unable. Controller says FL190 given, pilot read back '11000 ft.'