Altitude overshoot near boston as a result of clearance misunderstanding.

Attributes
ACN	477160
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	477160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	477150
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

During approach phase, approach told us to 'turn left heading 060 degrees, slow to 210 KTS and descend and maintain 7000 ft.' I read back the instructions and we descended to 7000 ft. The next call from approach was 'descend and maintain 6000 ft and oh by the way, you were supposed to level off at 8000 ft.' I informed the controller I had read back 7000 ft earlier and apologized for the miscom. I never heard the controller correct my readback of 7000 ft and had no reason to think we were at the wrong altitude or at a different altitude than the one the controller wanted us at.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOOT NEAR BOSTON AS A RESULT OF CLRNC MISUNDERSTANDING.

Narrative: DURING APCH PHASE, APCH TOLD US TO 'TURN L HEADING 060 DEGS, SLOW TO 210 KTS AND DSND AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' I READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WE DSNDED TO 7000 FT. THE NEXT CALL FROM APCH WAS 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT AND OH BY THE WAY, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LEVEL OFF AT 8000 FT.' I INFORMED THE CTLR I HAD READ BACK 7000 FT EARLIER AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISCOM. I NEVER HEARD THE CTLR CORRECT MY READBACK OF 7000 FT AND HAD NO REASON TO THINK WE WERE AT THE WRONG ALT OR AT A DIFFERENT ALT THAN THE ONE THE CTLR WANTED US AT.

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.