B737-300 crew copied wrong altitude for crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	434020
Time
Date	199904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : flm.vor
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26500 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	434020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	434826
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZID gave us clearance to descend to be 40 NM north of flm VOR at FL240. We set FMC and MCP for the descent after I had read back clearance to controller. Shortly after setting up the descent, we determined we were going to be high at 40 NM and informed controller. He responded that our clearance was for FL290, not FL240, as we passed FL265. We immediately stopped descent and started back to FL290. I informed the controller I had heard and read back FL240 and heard no response from him. He then gave us clearance to FL240 and never indicated that any separation problems had occurred. It was a situation of we heard and read back something different than controller had given, and he didn't catch the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW COPIED WRONG ALT FOR XING RESTR.

Narrative: ZID GAVE US CLRNC TO DSND TO BE 40 NM N OF FLM VOR AT FL240. WE SET FMC AND MCP FOR THE DSCNT AFTER I HAD READ BACK CLRNC TO CTLR. SHORTLY AFTER SETTING UP THE DSCNT, WE DETERMINED WE WERE GOING TO BE HIGH AT 40 NM AND INFORMED CTLR. HE RESPONDED THAT OUR CLRNC WAS FOR FL290, NOT FL240, AS WE PASSED FL265. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED DSCNT AND STARTED BACK TO FL290. I INFORMED THE CTLR I HAD HEARD AND READ BACK FL240 AND HEARD NO RESPONSE FROM HIM. HE THEN GAVE US CLRNC TO FL240 AND NEVER INDICATED THAT ANY SEPARATION PROBS HAD OCCURRED. IT WAS A SIT OF WE HEARD AND READ BACK SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN CTLR HAD GIVEN, AND HE DIDN'T CATCH THE ERROR.

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.