Flight crew overshot assigned altitude on descent.

Attributes
ACN	356680
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 228 flight time total : 19600 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	356680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Descending for landing on ziggy 3 STAR, thought we had been cleared to 11000 ft. I read back 'cleared to 11000 ft' and told first officer I was setting 11000 ft in altitude selector and automatic flight director system panel. First officer concurred, and controller did not correct me when I read back 'cleared to 11000 ft.' at approximately 12000 ft, controller called and said climb to 13000 ft. We started climb to 13000 ft. Shortly thereafter, controller cleared us to 11000 ft and handed us off to ont (socal) approach control. (11000 ft was not in ZLA airspace.) main contributing distraction factor: jump seat rider who was a friend and classmate of the first officer. This was a case of neither pilot hearing the altitude clearance correctly. And the controller did not hear the incorrect readback. Or, if the controller did only clear us to 13000 ft, and if I did read back '13000 ft,' my brain did transpose it to 11000 ft? Other factors: day 3 of a 3 day trip. This was a pm trip and I normally fly am trips.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON DSCNT.

Narrative: DSNDING FOR LNDG ON ZIGGY 3 STAR, THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 11000 FT. I READ BACK 'CLRED TO 11000 FT' AND TOLD FO I WAS SETTING 11000 FT IN ALT SELECTOR AND AUTO FLT DIRECTOR SYS PANEL. FO CONCURRED, AND CTLR DID NOT CORRECT ME WHEN I READ BACK 'CLRED TO 11000 FT.' AT APPROX 12000 FT, CTLR CALLED AND SAID CLB TO 13000 FT. WE STARTED CLB TO 13000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTLR CLRED US TO 11000 FT AND HANDED US OFF TO ONT (SOCAL) APCH CTL. (11000 FT WAS NOT IN ZLA AIRSPACE.) MAIN CONTRIBUTING DISTR FACTOR: JUMP SEAT RIDER WHO WAS A FRIEND AND CLASSMATE OF THE FO. THIS WAS A CASE OF NEITHER PLT HEARING THE ALT CLRNC CORRECTLY. AND THE CTLR DID NOT HEAR THE INCORRECT READBACK. OR, IF THE CTLR DID ONLY CLR US TO 13000 FT, AND IF I DID READ BACK '13000 FT,' MY BRAIN DID TRANSPOSE IT TO 11000 FT? OTHER FACTORS: DAY 3 OF A 3 DAY TRIP. THIS WAS A PM TRIP AND I NORMALLY FLY AM TRIPS.

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.