Altitude deviation. Communication problem or forgetfulness?

Attributes
ACN	294750
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pns
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pns
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2200
ASRS Report	294750
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	294698
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

25 NM west of pns regional airport, ZHU switched our flight to pns approach. Upon contact with pns approach we were given a heading of 100 degrees and a new altitude of 3000 ft. The captain read back these instructions and we began our descent from 11000 ft MSL. At 8000 ft the controller questioned us as to what altitude we were assigned and by whom. We replied 3000 ft and that that altitude was assigned by him. He denied that he gave that instruction and then proceeded to give further radar vectors and altitude assignments as we approached the airport (without further incident). Upon landing the pns ground controller informed us to call pns approach control via landline. No evasive actions were taken to avoid other aircraft. I believe that this situation occurred because of a misunderstanding between instructions given/received between the flight crew and approach control. However, we did read back the instructions we 'thought' we were given and were not corrected by the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. COM PROB OR FORGETFULNESS?

Narrative: 25 NM W OF PNS REGIONAL ARPT, ZHU SWITCHED OUR FLT TO PNS APCH. UPON CONTACT WITH PNS APCH WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 100 DEGS AND A NEW ALT OF 3000 FT. THE CAPT READ BACK THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT FROM 11000 FT MSL. AT 8000 FT THE CTLR QUESTIONED US AS TO WHAT ALT WE WERE ASSIGNED AND BY WHOM. WE REPLIED 3000 FT AND THAT THAT ALT WAS ASSIGNED BY HIM. HE DENIED THAT HE GAVE THAT INSTRUCTION AND THEN PROCEEDED TO GIVE FURTHER RADAR VECTORS AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS AS WE APCHED THE ARPT (WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT). UPON LNDG THE PNS GND CTLR INFORMED US TO CALL PNS APCH CTL VIA LANDLINE. NO EVASIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN TO AVOID OTHER ACFT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SIT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN/RECEIVED BTWN THE FLC AND APCH CTL. HOWEVER, WE DID READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS WE 'THOUGHT' WE WERE GIVEN AND WERE NOT CORRECTED BY THE CTLR.

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.