Narrative:

Flight from mem to bqn. Flight left mem over 1 hour late. 110 NM from bqn, sju gave us 'pilot's discretion to 2000 ft.' this was heard by all 3 pilots. The first officer as PNF read back the altitude, set 2000 ft in the altitude alerter, and I verified it. At 78 NM we began our descent from FL290 and leveled off at 2000 ft. At this time center asked us to say our altitude. When we told him 2000 ft he told us we were only cleared to 2600 ft. We said we understood 2000 ft and asked if this was going to cause a problem. He said 'not from me.' he then cleared us for a visual approach to bqn, non tower operations. The first officer called left base for runway 8 on bqn radio frequency and we were told there was no traffic and wind was 090 degrees at 10 KTS. We then called final and landed at XA45. After landing, bqn radio asked us for our tail number and asked why we had not made any radio calls. We did make the calls and received traffic and wind update. I am sure we were cleared to 2000 ft and I'm sure we made the radio calls. However, we were all very tired, and I understand how this can affect performance and must therefore acknowledge the possibility that we were wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 WERE ACCUSED OF OVERSHOOTING ASSIGNED DSCNT ALT EVEN THOUGH ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS HEARD THE LOWER ALT AT WHICH THEY LEVELED OFF.

Narrative: FLT FROM MEM TO BQN. FLT LEFT MEM OVER 1 HR LATE. 110 NM FROM BQN, SJU GAVE US 'PLT'S DISCRETION TO 2000 FT.' THIS WAS HEARD BY ALL 3 PLTS. THE FO AS PNF READ BACK THE ALT, SET 2000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER, AND I VERIFIED IT. AT 78 NM WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT FROM FL290 AND LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT. AT THIS TIME CTR ASKED US TO SAY OUR ALT. WHEN WE TOLD HIM 2000 FT HE TOLD US WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 2600 FT. WE SAID WE UNDERSTOOD 2000 FT AND ASKED IF THIS WAS GOING TO CAUSE A PROB. HE SAID 'NOT FROM ME.' HE THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO BQN, NON TWR OPS. THE FO CALLED L BASE FOR RWY 8 ON BQN RADIO FREQ AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO TFC AND WIND WAS 090 DEGS AT 10 KTS. WE THEN CALLED FINAL AND LANDED AT XA45. AFTER LNDG, BQN RADIO ASKED US FOR OUR TAIL NUMBER AND ASKED WHY WE HAD NOT MADE ANY RADIO CALLS. WE DID MAKE THE CALLS AND RECEIVED TFC AND WIND UPDATE. I AM SURE WE WERE CLRED TO 2000 FT AND I'M SURE WE MADE THE RADIO CALLS. HOWEVER, WE WERE ALL VERY TIRED, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN AFFECT PERFORMANCE AND MUST THEREFORE ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE WERE WRONG.

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.