Narrative:

Flight # XXX was given and received a clearance to pilot's discretion to 16000 ft from 24000 ft. ZJX frequency 126.35 then gave expect to cross 10 NM north of omn at 10000 ft and 250 KTS. First officer (PF) then talked with captain -- this clearance would leave aircraft too high for dab landing and I would have to cross the altitude further out from dab to be on profile for dab landing. The first officer (autoplt engaged) reset altitude window on mode control panel to 10000 ft and began descent. At 12000 ft, ZJX called and said clearance was to 16000 ft. First officer then leveled off at 12000 ft, center said remain at 12000 ft and call dab approach. ZJX was asked by us if there was a traffic conflict and they said no. First officer when writing down crossing restr should have written 'expect' when copying. This would have prevented this situation. First officer also did not hear 'expect.' but captain did. Captain was possibly distraction by first officer's discussion of high close-in crossing restr. Supplemental information from acn 303539: the crossing clearance may have come with a separate transmission. Cockpit discussion followed about 10000 ft being high that close to omn since we were landing at dab. FMC was programmed to cross 10 NM of omn to obtain a good profile and I believe that this time inadvertently set 10000 ft in the mode control panel window instead of 16000 ft. I believe the PNF forgot the 'expect to cross' portion of the clearance and got busy with checklists, approach briefings and other duties and that the PF never heard the 'expect' part of the clearance. I cannot explain how 10000 ft got in the mode control panel since both pilot's practice altitude awareness practices religiously.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC WAS DISTR BY DSCNT PROFILE, AND DID NOT LEVEL AT ASSIGNED ALT. THE XING RESTR CLRNC WAS MISUNDERSTOOD BY PF.

Narrative: FLT # XXX WAS GIVEN AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO PLT'S DISCRETION TO 16000 FT FROM 24000 FT. ZJX FREQ 126.35 THEN GAVE EXPECT TO CROSS 10 NM N OF OMN AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS. FO (PF) THEN TALKED WITH CAPT -- THIS CLRNC WOULD LEAVE ACFT TOO HIGH FOR DAB LNDG AND I WOULD HAVE TO CROSS THE ALT FURTHER OUT FROM DAB TO BE ON PROFILE FOR DAB LNDG. THE FO (AUTOPLT ENGAGED) RESET ALT WINDOW ON MODE CTL PANEL TO 10000 FT AND BEGAN DSCNT. AT 12000 FT, ZJX CALLED AND SAID CLRNC WAS TO 16000 FT. FO THEN LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT, CTR SAID REMAIN AT 12000 FT AND CALL DAB APCH. ZJX WAS ASKED BY US IF THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT AND THEY SAID NO. FO WHEN WRITING DOWN XING RESTR SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN 'EXPECT' WHEN COPYING. THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT. FO ALSO DID NOT HEAR 'EXPECT.' BUT CAPT DID. CAPT WAS POSSIBLY DISTR BY FO'S DISCUSSION OF HIGH CLOSE-IN XING RESTR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303539: THE XING CLRNC MAY HAVE COME WITH A SEPARATE XMISSION. COCKPIT DISCUSSION FOLLOWED ABOUT 10000 FT BEING HIGH THAT CLOSE TO OMN SINCE WE WERE LNDG AT DAB. FMC WAS PROGRAMMED TO CROSS 10 NM OF OMN TO OBTAIN A GOOD PROFILE AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS TIME INADVERTENTLY SET 10000 FT IN THE MODE CTL PANEL WINDOW INSTEAD OF 16000 FT. I BELIEVE THE PNF FORGOT THE 'EXPECT TO CROSS' PORTION OF THE CLRNC AND GOT BUSY WITH CHKLISTS, APCH BRIEFINGS AND OTHER DUTIES AND THAT THE PF NEVER HEARD THE 'EXPECT' PART OF THE CLRNC. I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW 10000 FT GOT IN THE MODE CTL PANEL SINCE BOTH PLT'S PRACTICE ALT AWARENESS PRACTICES RELIGIOUSLY.

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.