Narrative:

We were en route, FL330, from seatac to rno. Just southeast of lakeview on J-5, we received a clearance to cross 85 NM southeast of lkv at FL290. That clearance was acknowledged and read back by the first officer. Being quite familiar with the route I was expecting a clearance to cross 90 NM northwest of mustang VOR and in fact had just briefed this expected crossing restr, so when the clearance to cross a point southeast of lkv came along, I did not listen closely to the controller or the first officer's readback, assuming it was a clearance to cross 85 mi northwest of fmg VOR. I even entered it into the performance computer. In the vicinity of 78 NM southeast of lkv VOR, ZSE asked us our lkv DME and restated the 85 DME southeast crossing restr. I responded that I had misheard the restr and was descending immediately to FL290. Center responded that he would recoordinate with whatever traffic we were descending for, but we were already well into the descent and leveled at FL290, 86.5 NM southeast of lkv. If there was a conflict with the other traffic it was never mentioned to us. We both fell into the classic trap, expecting to hear one thing and not catching it when it differed from the expected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG FAILED TO MAKE A XING RESTR DURING DSCNT FROM HIGH ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE, FL330, FROM SEATAC TO RNO. JUST SE OF LAKEVIEW ON J-5, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CROSS 85 NM SE OF LKV AT FL290. THAT CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK BY THE FO. BEING QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE RTE I WAS EXPECTING A CLRNC TO CROSS 90 NM NW OF MUSTANG VOR AND IN FACT HAD JUST BRIEFED THIS EXPECTED XING RESTR, SO WHEN THE CLRNC TO CROSS A POINT SE OF LKV CAME ALONG, I DID NOT LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE CTLR OR THE FO'S READBACK, ASSUMING IT WAS A CLRNC TO CROSS 85 MI NW OF FMG VOR. I EVEN ENTERED IT INTO THE PERFORMANCE COMPUTER. IN THE VICINITY OF 78 NM SE OF LKV VOR, ZSE ASKED US OUR LKV DME AND RESTATED THE 85 DME SE XING RESTR. I RESPONDED THAT I HAD MISHEARD THE RESTR AND WAS DSNDING IMMEDIATELY TO FL290. CTR RESPONDED THAT HE WOULD RECOORDINATE WITH WHATEVER TFC WE WERE DSNDING FOR, BUT WE WERE ALREADY WELL INTO THE DSCNT AND LEVELED AT FL290, 86.5 NM SE OF LKV. IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER TFC IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED TO US. WE BOTH FELL INTO THE CLASSIC TRAP, EXPECTING TO HEAR ONE THING AND NOT CATCHING IT WHEN IT DIFFERED FROM THE EXPECTED.

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.