A B727 flight crew did not hear a clearance and descended through the assigned altitude near fwa.

Attributes
ACN	452377
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fwa.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	452377
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While descending through FL185 with a clearance to 13000 ft, center said 'aircraft X, you have to listen up to the first call. I wanted you to level at FL190.' we had never heard this call. He said to level at FL180 and expect the further lower previously cleared altitude. We leveled at FL180. I asked the other 2 pilots if they had heard the clearance to stop descent at FL190. They replied 'no.' I was PF but picked up the microphone and told controller we were listening, but he must have been blocked. 1) as we never heard clearance to stop descent, we never acknowledged the clearance. A) with no clearance readback or acknowledgement from us, I feel controller should have taken action to make sure we understood what he wanted us to do (verify/repeat). 2) controller's comment about us listening 'first time,' was unnecessary. We all were being attentive to radio transmission in the cockpit. ATC misses far more of our calls to them as we do theirs, and we don't make comments to them about 'listening up' or 'being on the landline.' maybe a little more cooperation and less unnecessary criticism could have kept this situation from arising.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC DID NOT HEAR A CLRNC AND DSNDED THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR FWA.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING THROUGH FL185 WITH A CLRNC TO 13000 FT, CTR SAID 'ACFT X, YOU HAVE TO LISTEN UP TO THE FIRST CALL. I WANTED YOU TO LEVEL AT FL190.' WE HAD NEVER HEARD THIS CALL. HE SAID TO LEVEL AT FL180 AND EXPECT THE FURTHER LOWER PREVIOUSLY CLRED ALT. WE LEVELED AT FL180. I ASKED THE OTHER 2 PLTS IF THEY HAD HEARD THE CLRNC TO STOP DSCNT AT FL190. THEY REPLIED 'NO.' I WAS PF BUT PICKED UP THE MIKE AND TOLD CTLR WE WERE LISTENING, BUT HE MUST HAVE BEEN BLOCKED. 1) AS WE NEVER HEARD CLRNC TO STOP DSCNT, WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC. A) WITH NO CLRNC READBACK OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM US, I FEEL CTLR SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WANTED US TO DO (VERIFY/REPEAT). 2) CTLR'S COMMENT ABOUT US LISTENING 'FIRST TIME,' WAS UNNECESSARY. WE ALL WERE BEING ATTENTIVE TO RADIO XMISSION IN THE COCKPIT. ATC MISSES FAR MORE OF OUR CALLS TO THEM AS WE DO THEIRS, AND WE DON'T MAKE COMMENTS TO THEM ABOUT 'LISTENING UP' OR 'BEING ON THE LANDLINE.' MAYBE A LITTLE MORE COOPERATION AND LESS UNNECESSARY CRITICISM COULD HAVE KEPT THIS SIT FROM ARISING.

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.