Flight crew of an medium large transport overshot published crossing altitude or did not make assign...

Attributes
ACN	333140
Time
Date	199604
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 183 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	333140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During initial descent into sna we were given clearance to cross psp at FL240 by ZLA. At FL240 we were now cleared direct to bands intersection on the east side arrival to cross bands at 12000 ft. (We think) I read back bands at 12000 ft and the captain selected 12000 ft in the MCP altitude window. Captain and I started to discuss this altitude as east side arrival shows bands crossing at 14000 ft. We were interrupted by center who handed us off to socal approach control. I checked in with socal descending to 12000 ft. I think we were out of 14000 ft and had just completed the in-range checklist. Indicated to socal that we might not be able to make the 12000 ft crossing at bands. We did. After level off, socal controller asked if we were cleared to cross bands at 14000 ft. I said, 'no, that 12000 ft is what we heard.' socal now cleared us to cross kayoh on the east side arrival at 7000 ft. Note that published crossing altitude is 8000 ft. Rest of approach was uneventful. Recommendation: when cleared direct to a published fix with a published crossing altitude always assign the altitude that is published. Center may have done just that and we misunderstood, but socal did assign a different altitude than published.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG OVERSHOT PUBLISHED XING ALT OR DID NOT MAKE ASSIGNED XING ALT SINCE THE XING ALT WAS NOT CLARIFIED AFTER THE FACT BY ATC.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL DSCNT INTO SNA WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS PSP AT FL240 BY ZLA. AT FL240 WE WERE NOW CLRED DIRECT TO BANDS INTXN ON THE E SIDE ARR TO CROSS BANDS AT 12000 FT. (WE THINK) I READ BACK BANDS AT 12000 FT AND THE CAPT SELECTED 12000 FT IN THE MCP ALT WINDOW. CAPT AND I STARTED TO DISCUSS THIS ALT AS E SIDE ARR SHOWS BANDS XING AT 14000 FT. WE WERE INTERRUPTED BY CTR WHO HANDED US OFF TO SOCAL APCH CTL. I CHKED IN WITH SOCAL DSNDING TO 12000 FT. I THINK WE WERE OUT OF 14000 FT AND HAD JUST COMPLETED THE IN-RANGE CHKLIST. INDICATED TO SOCAL THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE 12000 FT XING AT BANDS. WE DID. AFTER LEVEL OFF, SOCAL CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS BANDS AT 14000 FT. I SAID, 'NO, THAT 12000 FT IS WHAT WE HEARD.' SOCAL NOW CLRED US TO CROSS KAYOH ON THE E SIDE ARR AT 7000 FT. NOTE THAT PUBLISHED XING ALT IS 8000 FT. REST OF APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. RECOMMENDATION: WHEN CLRED DIRECT TO A PUBLISHED FIX WITH A PUBLISHED XING ALT ALWAYS ASSIGN THE ALT THAT IS PUBLISHED. CTR MAY HAVE DONE JUST THAT AND WE MISUNDERSTOOD, BUT SOCAL DID ASSIGN A DIFFERENT ALT THAN PUBLISHED.

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.

Flight crew of an medium large transport overshot published crossing altitude or did not make assigned crossing altitude since the crossing altitude was not clarified after the fact by ATC.