Captain of an medium large transport misunderstood descent clearance altitude and overshot resulting...

Attributes
ACN	290973
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 182 flight time total : 9298 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	290973
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was on intercept heading for ILS runway 12R at sat. When given the turn, altitude and clearance for approach by approach control, I misheard the altitude (I heard 2000 ft, actual was 3000 ft). Aircraft was at 3000 ft. I put 2000 ft in altitude window, started the turn to 150 degrees and the descent to 2000 ft. At approximately 2300 ft the GPWS gave a terrain/pull-up warning and we immediately climbed back to 3000 ft. We then intercepted ILS and landed. Contributing factors: ATIS was calling visual approachs so the ILS was not briefed farther than inbound course and frequency. First officer was identing ILS frequency when I put 2000 ft in window and did not acknowledge the altitude change. I did not insist on confirmation of the altitude before descending. Long day, tired pilots, last leg of the day, and this was a line check (first officer was training instructor giving line check). I was nervous about it. Possible factor was family problems for me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG MISUNDERSTOOD DSCNT CLRNC ALT AND OVERSHOT RESULTING IN GPWS WARNING.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON INTERCEPT HDG FOR ILS RWY 12R AT SAT. WHEN GIVEN THE TURN, ALT AND CLRNC FOR APCH BY APCH CTL, I MISHEARD THE ALT (I HEARD 2000 FT, ACTUAL WAS 3000 FT). ACFT WAS AT 3000 FT. I PUT 2000 FT IN ALT WINDOW, STARTED THE TURN TO 150 DEGS AND THE DSCNT TO 2000 FT. AT APPROX 2300 FT THE GPWS GAVE A TERRAIN/PULL-UP WARNING AND WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 3000 FT. WE THEN INTERCEPTED ILS AND LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATIS WAS CALLING VISUAL APCHS SO THE ILS WAS NOT BRIEFED FARTHER THAN INBOUND COURSE AND FREQ. FO WAS IDENTING ILS FREQ WHEN I PUT 2000 FT IN WINDOW AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE ALT CHANGE. I DID NOT INSIST ON CONFIRMATION OF THE ALT BEFORE DSNDING. LONG DAY, TIRED PLTS, LAST LEG OF THE DAY, AND THIS WAS A LINE CHK (FO WAS TRAINING INSTRUCTOR GIVING LINE CHK). I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT IT. POSSIBLE FACTOR WAS FAMILY PROBS FOR ME.

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.

Captain of an medium large transport misunderstood descent clearance altitude and overshot resulting in GPWS warning.