Air carrier X unauthorized uncoord descent to wrong altitude in approach control airspace.

Attributes
ACN	298950
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
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 other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : bwi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	298950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X at 16000 ft about 35 mi east of bilit intersection on V308 heading west. ZDC (124.77) cleared us to cross 'bilit intersection at 8000 ft' which I read back. My first officer heard the clearance also and put 8000 ft in the 'box' and I confirmed it with him. During our descent we were switched over to bwi approach (124.55) to which I reported our passing altitude 'descending to 8000 ft.' passing about 9500 ft, bwi approach asked us to say again what altitude we were descending to. Our reply was 'to cross bilit intersection at 8000 ft.' she then said that she actually needed us to climb to 10000 ft, which we did. She asked us who gave us the clearance to 8000 ft and we told her ZDC on 124.77. She then apologized for not catching it on our check-in. Apparently there was no conflict with other traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH UNCOORD DSCNT TO WRONG ALT IN APCH CTL AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ACR X AT 16000 FT ABOUT 35 MI E OF BILIT INTXN ON V308 HDG W. ZDC (124.77) CLRED US TO CROSS 'BILIT INTXN AT 8000 FT' WHICH I READ BACK. MY FO HEARD THE CLRNC ALSO AND PUT 8000 FT IN THE 'BOX' AND I CONFIRMED IT WITH HIM. DURING OUR DSCNT WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO BWI APCH (124.55) TO WHICH I RPTED OUR PASSING ALT 'DSNDING TO 8000 FT.' PASSING ABOUT 9500 FT, BWI APCH ASKED US TO SAY AGAIN WHAT ALT WE WERE DSNDING TO. OUR REPLY WAS 'TO CROSS BILIT INTXN AT 8000 FT.' SHE THEN SAID THAT SHE ACTUALLY NEEDED US TO CLB TO 10000 FT, WHICH WE DID. SHE ASKED US WHO GAVE US THE CLRNC TO 8000 FT AND WE TOLD HER ZDC ON 124.77. SHE THEN APOLOGIZED FOR NOT CATCHING IT ON OUR CHK-IN. APPARENTLY THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC.

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.