Narrative:

Captain flying. En route, cleared from over tlh to otk and then the lesse 7 to mco. After departing tlh, cleared to descend from FL350 to FL270. Passing otk, cleared to FL260. Some time after otk, cleared the lesse 7 to mco. Upon receiving the clearance for the lesse 7, I reset the altitude to 11000 ft and started descending. As we passed 25000 ft, the jax controller inquired as to what our altitude was and we responded 24900 ft, cleared to 11000 ft on the lesse 7. Controller's response was 'cleared the route only, now cleared to 16000 ft.' in retrospect, the following items would need to be reviewed as to the cause of this altitude deviation. 1) issuance of the clearance: 'cleared for the lessee 7,' should contain the phrase 'maintain 260.' 2) depiction: the word 'expect' is written in small print, and 11000 ft 250 KTS is written in bold letters. In low light conditions, 11000 ft 250 KTS is the first thing that is seen and entered into the FMC. 3) tailwind: we had a large tailwind and there was a pressing need to start the descent. 4) profile approachs: the repeated use of and flying of profile approachs and the similar charting of a profile approach and a STAR approach. 5) fatigue: on this flight from den to mco, I became tired, had what is called a 'sinking spell.' 6) clear: the first officer and I were having a strained working relationship. The first officer was from a long military backgnd and was actively involved in the 'reserves' as an instructor. The first officer seemed to have a hearing problem -- either a physiological or a physical problem. And therefore I began to do items in the cockpit for myself and sometimes this was contrary to the accepted SOP.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV CAUSED BY WORKLOAD AND MISINTERP OF STAR.

Narrative: CAPT FLYING. ENRTE, CLRED FROM OVER TLH TO OTK AND THEN THE LESSE 7 TO MCO. AFTER DEPARTING TLH, CLRED TO DSND FROM FL350 TO FL270. PASSING OTK, CLRED TO FL260. SOME TIME AFTER OTK, CLRED THE LESSE 7 TO MCO. UPON RECEIVING THE CLRNC FOR THE LESSE 7, I RESET THE ALT TO 11000 FT AND STARTED DSNDING. AS WE PASSED 25000 FT, THE JAX CTLR INQUIRED AS TO WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND WE RESPONDED 24900 FT, CLRED TO 11000 FT ON THE LESSE 7. CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS 'CLRED THE RTE ONLY, NOW CLRED TO 16000 FT.' IN RETROSPECT, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WOULD NEED TO BE REVIEWED AS TO THE CAUSE OF THIS ALTDEV. 1) ISSUANCE OF THE CLRNC: 'CLRED FOR THE LESSEE 7,' SHOULD CONTAIN THE PHRASE 'MAINTAIN 260.' 2) DEPICTION: THE WORD 'EXPECT' IS WRITTEN IN SMALL PRINT, AND 11000 FT 250 KTS IS WRITTEN IN BOLD LETTERS. IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, 11000 FT 250 KTS IS THE FIRST THING THAT IS SEEN AND ENTERED INTO THE FMC. 3) TAILWIND: WE HAD A LARGE TAILWIND AND THERE WAS A PRESSING NEED TO START THE DSCNT. 4) PROFILE APCHS: THE REPEATED USE OF AND FLYING OF PROFILE APCHS AND THE SIMILAR CHARTING OF A PROFILE APCH AND A STAR APCH. 5) FATIGUE: ON THIS FLT FROM DEN TO MCO, I BECAME TIRED, HAD WHAT IS CALLED A 'SINKING SPELL.' 6) CLR: THE FO AND I WERE HAVING A STRAINED WORKING RELATIONSHIP. THE FO WAS FROM A LONG MIL BACKGND AND WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE 'RESERVES' AS AN INSTRUCTOR. THE FO SEEMED TO HAVE A HEARING PROB -- EITHER A PHYSIOLOGICAL OR A PHYSICAL PROB. AND THEREFORE I BEGAN TO DO ITEMS IN THE COCKPIT FOR MYSELF AND SOMETIMES THIS WAS CONTRARY TO THE ACCEPTED SOP.

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.