Narrative:

During initial approach for a visual landing on runway 22L at ewr, while radar vectoring under the control of new york approach, the approach controller made the comment as we were descending through 4500 ft MSL that 'the clearance was 5000 ft but continue descent to 4000 ft.' we were VMC at the time and there did not appear to be any traffic conflict involved. After landing, the first officer, who was flying the aircraft, stated that he also thought we had been cleared to 4000 ft. I am unsure after the fact what altitude we were cleared to and what altitude I had read back to the controller, although I did have 4000 ft set on the MCP and it was armed on the FMA. The situation in the cockpit was a little disorganized when the clearance was given because the first officer, who was flying the aircraft and who is new to the DC10 and FMS/flight guidance, was somewhat confused on how to set up the MCP to comply with the heading, altitude, and speed change that the controller had issued. I was attempting to assist him while communicating with ATC, and my concentration was divided. Consequently, I cannot be certain in retrospect whether I set and armed the same altitude I thought I heard from ATC and read back to ATC. I should have been more deliberate in responding to ATC and verified the altitude after finishing assisting the first officer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC10 WERE ALERTED BY APCH CTLR OF OVERSHOOTING THEIR ALT DURING DSCNT. THE CTLR THEN CLRED THEM ONTO THE LOWER ALT TO WHICH THE CREW BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN CLRED.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL APCH FOR A VISUAL LNDG ON RWY 22L AT EWR, WHILE RADAR VECTORING UNDER THE CTL OF NEW YORK APCH, THE APCH CTLR MADE THE COMMENT AS WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 4500 FT MSL THAT 'THE CLRNC WAS 5000 FT BUT CONTINUE DSCNT TO 4000 FT.' WE WERE VMC AT THE TIME AND THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY TFC CONFLICT INVOLVED. AFTER LNDG, THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, STATED THAT HE ALSO THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4000 FT. I AM UNSURE AFTER THE FACT WHAT ALT WE WERE CLRED TO AND WHAT ALT I HAD READ BACK TO THE CTLR, ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE 4000 FT SET ON THE MCP AND IT WAS ARMED ON THE FMA. THE SIT IN THE COCKPIT WAS A LITTLE DISORGANIZED WHEN THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN BECAUSE THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND WHO IS NEW TO THE DC10 AND FMS/FLT GUIDANCE, WAS SOMEWHAT CONFUSED ON HOW TO SET UP THE MCP TO COMPLY WITH THE HDG, ALT, AND SPD CHANGE THAT THE CTLR HAD ISSUED. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ASSIST HIM WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH ATC, AND MY CONCENTRATION WAS DIVIDED. CONSEQUENTLY, I CANNOT BE CERTAIN IN RETROSPECT WHETHER I SET AND ARMED THE SAME ALT I THOUGHT I HEARD FROM ATC AND READ BACK TO ATC. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DELIBERATE IN RESPONDING TO ATC AND VERIFIED THE ALT AFTER FINISHING ASSISTING THE FO.

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.