Pilot may have misunderstood altitude assignment.

Attributes
ACN	281603
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 3800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : roa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	281603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight from lyh to roa. With 2 crew members, me the captain,- non-flying, and the copilot, flying. We were given, I believe, an altitude of 2800 ft to descend to which I read back and confirmed with first officer. So we descended and stayed at that altitude for a while then ATC came back and told us to climb to 3800 ft. So we did and flew the approach into roa with no problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: FLT FROM LYH TO ROA. WITH 2 CREW MEMBERS, ME THE CAPT,- NON-FLYING, AND THE COPLT, FLYING. WE WERE GIVEN, I BELIEVE, AN ALT OF 2800 FT TO DSND TO WHICH I READ BACK AND CONFIRMED WITH FO. SO WE DSNDED AND STAYED AT THAT ALT FOR A WHILE THEN ATC CAME BACK AND TOLD US TO CLB TO 3800 FT. SO WE DID AND FLEW THE APCH INTO ROA WITH NO PROBS.

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.