Flight crew certain they were cleared to cross 45 mi east of igb at 11000 ft. ATC is just as certain...

Attributes
ACN	352170
Time
Date	199611
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : igb
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 7300
ASRS Report	352170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from atl to gtr. I was PNF this leg, and was working the radios. We were being worked by ZTL on 127.30 just west of bhm. Center gave us a crossing restr of what I am sure I read back as '45 mi east of igb at 11000 ft.' I set 11000 ft in the altitude alerter and my first officer and I read the altitude to one another. No more discussion occurred between the first officer and I about the altitude restr. There were several cells painting on the radar ahead and we had been talking about the WX and I had frequently been listening to AWOS to try to find a trend in our destination WX. Passing through about 14000 ft, ZTL switched us to columbus approach. The frequency was not in use so we switched back to atl on 127.30. He said stand-by, so we continued our descent. We made the 45 mi at 11000 ft restr and continued to monitor the WX and complete checklists, call in-range, order fuel, etc. ZTL then asked if we were at 12000 ft, and I said 'no, we were cleared to 11000 ft, we're level at 11000 ft.' ZTL said 'the clearance was to 12000 ft but that's ok, just stay at 11000 ft.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CERTAIN THEY WERE CLRED TO CROSS 45 MI E OF IGB AT 11000 FT. ATC IS JUST AS CERTAIN THEY WERE ONLY CLRED TO 12000 FT.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ATL TO GTR. I WAS PNF THIS LEG, AND WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. WE WERE BEING WORKED BY ZTL ON 127.30 JUST W OF BHM. CTR GAVE US A XING RESTR OF WHAT I AM SURE I READ BACK AS '45 MI E OF IGB AT 11000 FT.' I SET 11000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND MY FO AND I READ THE ALT TO ONE ANOTHER. NO MORE DISCUSSION OCCURRED BTWN THE FO AND I ABOUT THE ALT RESTR. THERE WERE SEVERAL CELLS PAINTING ON THE RADAR AHEAD AND WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE WX AND I HAD FREQUENTLY BEEN LISTENING TO AWOS TO TRY TO FIND A TREND IN OUR DEST WX. PASSING THROUGH ABOUT 14000 FT, ZTL SWITCHED US TO COLUMBUS APCH. THE FREQ WAS NOT IN USE SO WE SWITCHED BACK TO ATL ON 127.30. HE SAID STAND-BY, SO WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT. WE MADE THE 45 MI AT 11000 FT RESTR AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE WX AND COMPLETE CHKLISTS, CALL IN-RANGE, ORDER FUEL, ETC. ZTL THEN ASKED IF WE WERE AT 12000 FT, AND I SAID 'NO, WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT, WE'RE LEVEL AT 11000 FT.' ZTL SAID 'THE CLRNC WAS TO 12000 FT BUT THAT'S OK, JUST STAY AT 11000 FT.'

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 certain they were cleared to cross 45 mi east of igb at 11000 ft. ATC is just as certain they were only cleared to 12000 ft.