BA41 crew had altitude overshoot.

Attributes
ACN	447200
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : stl.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11200 msl bound upper : 12000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : qball8
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	477200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I heard controller say 'descend 12000 ft, then qball 8000 ft.' it was my leg and we should have discussed the clearance to be sure we understood it. At 11200 ft, controller called and said we were supposed to stop at 12000 ft. He said his clearance for us was 'descend to 12000 ft, expect qball at 8000 ft.' I heard 'descend to 12000 ft, qball at 8000 ft.' at 11200 ft when the controller called us, we asked if he wanted us to go back up to 12000 ft. He said no, keep coming down to 8000 ft.' I believe 2 things led to my error. 1) we should have discussed the clearance to be positive, and 2) on the qball arrival into st louis, 99% of the time the clearance is 'down to 10000 ft, qball at 8000 ft, or down to 12000 ft, qball at 8000 ft.' the controller said 'down to 12000 ft, expect qball at 8000 ft.' he should have left the 'expect qball at 8000 ft' part out of the clearance, it is too similar to the usual clearance. They know what the usual clearance is and should not use similar terms but again if we would have discussed it more I may have not made this mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA41 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: I HEARD CTLR SAY 'DSND 12000 FT, THEN QBALL 8000 FT.' IT WAS MY LEG AND WE SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THE CLRNC TO BE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD IT. AT 11200 FT, CTLR CALLED AND SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP AT 12000 FT. HE SAID HIS CLRNC FOR US WAS 'DSND TO 12000 FT, EXPECT QBALL AT 8000 FT.' I HEARD 'DSND TO 12000 FT, QBALL AT 8000 FT.' AT 11200 FT WHEN THE CTLR CALLED US, WE ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO GO BACK UP TO 12000 FT. HE SAID NO, KEEP COMING DOWN TO 8000 FT.' I BELIEVE 2 THINGS LED TO MY ERROR. 1) WE SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THE CLRNC TO BE POSITIVE, AND 2) ON THE QBALL ARR INTO ST LOUIS, 99% OF THE TIME THE CLRNC IS 'DOWN TO 10000 FT, QBALL AT 8000 FT, OR DOWN TO 12000 FT, QBALL AT 8000 FT.' THE CTLR SAID 'DOWN TO 12000 FT, EXPECT QBALL AT 8000 FT.' HE SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE 'EXPECT QBALL AT 8000 FT' PART OUT OF THE CLRNC, IT IS TOO SIMILAR TO THE USUAL CLRNC. THEY KNOW WHAT THE USUAL CLRNC IS AND SHOULD NOT USE SIMILAR TERMS BUT AGAIN IF WE WOULD HAVE DISCUSSED IT MORE I MAY HAVE NOT MADE THIS MISTAKE.

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.