Aircraft failed to cross fix at assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	428610
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : har.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	428610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	428609
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC facility: cleveland. Location: har 250 degree radial, 40 DME. Today descending into phl airspace, we received clearance to cross 40 mi west of har at FL250. Because of a problem with an ill passenger and coordination with a flight attendant, we copied the clearance wrong. The first officer left the cockpit to go to the bathroom as I reconfirmed the clearance with ATC. I wrote down the restr as 40 mi west of harrisburg at FL240. As we leveled off at FL240, the ATC controller informed us that the clearance was 40 mi west at FL250. I suppose that I was just fixated on the FL240 altitude and I did not hear the difference and understand the difference in our actual cleared altitude. The controller said there was not a conflict. In the future I will pay closer attention to cleared altitudes when the copilot is out of the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FAILED TO CROSS FIX AT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ATC FACILITY: CLEVELAND. LOCATION: HAR 250 DEG RADIAL, 40 DME. TODAY DSNDING INTO PHL AIRSPACE, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS 40 MI W OF HAR AT FL250. BECAUSE OF A PROB WITH AN ILL PAX AND COORD WITH A FLT ATTENDANT, WE COPIED THE CLRNC WRONG. THE FO LEFT THE COCKPIT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AS I RECONFIRMED THE CLRNC WITH ATC. I WROTE DOWN THE RESTR AS 40 MI W OF HARRISBURG AT FL240. AS WE LEVELED OFF AT FL240, THE ATC CTLR INFORMED US THAT THE CLRNC WAS 40 MI W AT FL250. I SUPPOSE THAT I WAS JUST FIXATED ON THE FL240 ALT AND I DID NOT HEAR THE DIFFERENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR ACTUAL CLRED ALT. THE CTLR SAID THERE WAS NOT A CONFLICT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL PAY CLOSER ATTN TO CLRED ALTS WHEN THE COPLT IS OUT OF THE COCKPIT.

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.