Miscom between ATC and flight crew regarding altitude. Apparently reporter flight crew didn't read back the clearance to descend to 6000 ft, but started the descent and the clearance was for the other aircraft which they had visually.

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Attributes
ACN	325980
Time
Date	199601
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : txk
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 12800 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	325980
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	326369
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending into our destination (txk), we received clearance to maintain 9000 ft and were advised about traffic at 11 O'clock, wbound at 8000 ft. The traffic reported us in sight and ATC told him to maintain visual separation. The controller then cleared us to descend and maintain 6000 ft and issued additional traffic at our 2 O'clock position, 7000 ft. This seemed odd, but I assumed that the traffic was not conflicting. Meanwhile, we visually acquired the 2 O'clock traffic. Descending through 7000 ft, ATC asked us to verify that we were level at our last assigned altitude of 8000 ft. We replied that our last assigned altitude was 6000 ft, and that we were descending through 7000 ft for 6000 ft with traffic in sight. ATC then told us to maintain visual with the traffic, descend and maintain 4000 ft. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. This was a potentially dangerous situation caused by inattn to clearance readbacks. Also, pilots should always ask questions if clrncs don't make sense.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISCOM BTWN ATC AND FLC REGARDING ALT. APPARENTLY RPTR FLC DIDN'T READ BACK THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 6000 FT, BUT STARTED THE DSCNT AND THE CLRNC WAS FOR THE OTHER ACFT WHICH THEY HAD VISUALLY.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO OUR DEST (TXK), WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AND WERE ADVISED ABOUT TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, WBOUND AT 8000 FT. THE TFC RPTED US IN SIGHT AND ATC TOLD HIM TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND ISSUED ADDITIONAL TFC AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS, 7000 FT. THIS SEEMED ODD, BUT I ASSUMED THAT THE TFC WAS NOT CONFLICTING. MEANWHILE, WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE 2 O'CLOCK TFC. DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT, ATC ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT. WE REPLIED THAT OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 6000 FT, AND THAT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT FOR 6000 FT WITH TFC IN SIGHT. ATC THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH THE TFC, DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT CAUSED BY INATTN TO CLRNC READBACKS. ALSO, PLTS SHOULD ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS IF CLRNCS DON'T MAKE SENSE.

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.