Flight crew received a clearance that was an operational error from day TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	447897
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : day.airport
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7200 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	447897
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Dayton approach was radar vectoring us to airport for a visual approach to runway 6R. Both pilots heard descend to 6000 ft and set altitude alerter to 6000 ft. Going through about 7300 ft, controller said to climb to and maintain 8000 ft, that a cessna was at 7000 ft. We did as instructed and landed without further incident. Called day approach control and they advised that an operational error had occurred. They advised that controller had assigned us 8000 ft and that we clearly read back 6000 ft and controller did not catch error. They had reviewed tape already. Heavy traffic and fairly rapid communication, plus long day were all contributing factors. Other aircraft was observed on TCASII, but no RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC RECEIVED A CLRNC THAT WAS AN OPERROR FROM DAY TRACON.

Narrative: DAYTON APCH WAS RADAR VECTORING US TO ARPT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 6R. BOTH PLTS HEARD DSND TO 6000 FT AND SET ALT ALERTER TO 6000 FT. GOING THROUGH ABOUT 7300 FT, CTLR SAID TO CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT, THAT A CESSNA WAS AT 7000 FT. WE DID AS INSTRUCTED AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLED DAY APCH CTL AND THEY ADVISED THAT AN OPERROR HAD OCCURRED. THEY ADVISED THAT CTLR HAD ASSIGNED US 8000 FT AND THAT WE CLRLY READ BACK 6000 FT AND CTLR DID NOT CATCH ERROR. THEY HAD REVIEWED TAPE ALREADY. HVY TFC AND FAIRLY RAPID COM, PLUS LONG DAY WERE ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. OTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON TCASII, BUT NO RA.

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.