Pilot of an small aircraft twin overshot assigned altitude on descent due to making a record of the ...

Attributes
ACN	378010
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gck
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zkc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	378010
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
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

Narrative:

IFR flight in VFR conditions. Duration of flight 1.0 hours. Departure airport lyo -- destination airport gck. No aircraft conflict or event. Uneventful trip until 22 mi from destination. At approximately 22 mi ZKC cleared me for descent from 8000 ft to 5000 ft at my discretion. At approximately 15 mi from destination, I reported leaving 8000 ft and leveled off at 4000 ft. After a few moments ATC advised me my clearance was to 5000 ft not 4000 ft and they directed a climb to 5000 ft. I so complied and canceled several mins later with the airport in sight. It is my common practice to write all instructions received from ATC on paper and register all altitude assignments on the radar altimeter. When ATC advised me my clearance was for 5000 ft not 4000 ft I referred to notes and radar altimeter but they both indicated reference to 4000 ft. I fully believe ATC said 5000 ft as they maintain and a passenger did confirm my readback was 5000 ft. I'm at a total loss as to why I read back 5000 ft but wrote 4000 ft and also dialed in 4000 ft. There was several mins from the clearance receipt and readback to when I actually announced my leaving 8000 ft. In retrospect in the future my notification for leaving an altitude will also include the 'cleared to' altitude 'leaving 8000 ft for 5000 ft.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT ON DSCNT DUE TO MAKING A RECORD OF THE WRONG ALT AND DELAYING THE DSCNT AT THE RPTR'S DISCRETION.

Narrative: IFR FLT IN VFR CONDITIONS. DURATION OF FLT 1.0 HRS. DEP ARPT LYO -- DEST ARPT GCK. NO ACFT CONFLICT OR EVENT. UNEVENTFUL TRIP UNTIL 22 MI FROM DEST. AT APPROX 22 MI ZKC CLRED ME FOR DSCNT FROM 8000 FT TO 5000 FT AT MY DISCRETION. AT APPROX 15 MI FROM DEST, I RPTED LEAVING 8000 FT AND LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS ATC ADVISED ME MY CLRNC WAS TO 5000 FT NOT 4000 FT AND THEY DIRECTED A CLB TO 5000 FT. I SO COMPLIED AND CANCELED SEVERAL MINS LATER WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT. IT IS MY COMMON PRACTICE TO WRITE ALL INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED FROM ATC ON PAPER AND REGISTER ALL ALT ASSIGNMENTS ON THE RADAR ALTIMETER. WHEN ATC ADVISED ME MY CLRNC WAS FOR 5000 FT NOT 4000 FT I REFERRED TO NOTES AND RADAR ALTIMETER BUT THEY BOTH INDICATED REF TO 4000 FT. I FULLY BELIEVE ATC SAID 5000 FT AS THEY MAINTAIN AND A PAX DID CONFIRM MY READBACK WAS 5000 FT. I'M AT A TOTAL LOSS AS TO WHY I READ BACK 5000 FT BUT WROTE 4000 FT AND ALSO DIALED IN 4000 FT. THERE WAS SEVERAL MINS FROM THE CLRNC RECEIPT AND READBACK TO WHEN I ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED MY LEAVING 8000 FT. IN RETROSPECT IN THE FUTURE MY NOTIFICATION FOR LEAVING AN ALT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE 'CLRED TO' ALT 'LEAVING 8000 FT FOR 5000 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.

Pilot of an small aircraft twin overshot assigned altitude on descent due to making a record of the wrong altitude and delaying the descent at the reporter's discretion.