Cleared to leave FL410 the reporter started down. PNF read back clearance and questioned controller 2 times regarding cleared altitude FL210. She responded that FL210 was correct. Passing about FL290 ARTCC called and said the flight was supposed to be at FL310. The relief pilot confirmed the first officer had repeated the clearance to FL210 twice.

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Attributes
ACN	333540
Time
Date	199604
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dvl
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : lfff
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	333540
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cleared to leave FL410. I started down using 'descend now' mode. First officer read back clearance and questioned controller 2 times regarding cleared altitude being FL210. She responded that FL210 was correct. Passing about FL290 she called us and said we were supposed to be at FL310. First officer told her he had read back FL210 twice! She said standby, then cleared us lower. For my part as PF, I think that this incident resulted from the language problem, ie, french controller speaking english and was exacerbated by my fatigue level -- having been en route about 6 hours. Even though I had just finished a break and a meal, I was very tired. She probably said FL210 and meant FL310! The relief pilot confirmed the first officer's repeating the clearance to FL210 and said he (first officer) did it twice. Question: do NASA reports give us any immunity in europe? I don't believe that this situation will be deemed an altitude deviation as the controller seemed to realize her mistake and gave no mention of a deviation from our clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRED TO LEAVE FL410 THE RPTR STARTED DOWN. PNF READ BACK CLRNC AND QUESTIONED CTLR 2 TIMES REGARDING CLRED ALT FL210. SHE RESPONDED THAT FL210 WAS CORRECT. PASSING ABOUT FL290 ARTCC CALLED AND SAID THE FLT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL310. THE RELIEF PLT CONFIRMED THE FO HAD REPEATED THE CLRNC TO FL210 TWICE.

Narrative: CLRED TO LEAVE FL410. I STARTED DOWN USING 'DSND NOW' MODE. FO READ BACK CLRNC AND QUESTIONED CTLR 2 TIMES REGARDING CLRED ALT BEING FL210. SHE RESPONDED THAT FL210 WAS CORRECT. PASSING ABOUT FL290 SHE CALLED US AND SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL310. FO TOLD HER HE HAD READ BACK FL210 TWICE! SHE SAID STANDBY, THEN CLRED US LOWER. FOR MY PART AS PF, I THINK THAT THIS INCIDENT RESULTED FROM THE LANGUAGE PROB, IE, FRENCH CTLR SPEAKING ENGLISH AND WAS EXACERBATED BY MY FATIGUE LEVEL -- HAVING BEEN ENRTE ABOUT 6 HRS. EVEN THOUGH I HAD JUST FINISHED A BREAK AND A MEAL, I WAS VERY TIRED. SHE PROBABLY SAID FL210 AND MEANT FL310! THE RELIEF PLT CONFIRMED THE FO'S REPEATING THE CLRNC TO FL210 AND SAID HE (FO) DID IT TWICE. QUESTION: DO NASA RPTS GIVE US ANY IMMUNITY IN EUROPE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS SIT WILL BE DEEMED AN ALTDEV AS THE CTLR SEEMED TO REALIZE HER MISTAKE AND GAVE NO MENTION OF A DEV FROM OUR CLRNC.

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.