An RJ65 flight crew crosses their assigned fix 1000 ft below their assigned altitude at buf, ny.

Attributes
ACN	481869
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : buf.vortac
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	481869
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 120
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On flight from cvg-roc, cleared to cross buf at 11000 ft. ZOB then requested a leveloff at 12000 ft, and a left turn to 360 degrees. I am quite sure 12000 ft had been set in the altitude alerter. After a few mi we were cleared direct to buf and this crew believed we were reclred to 11000 ft. On crossing buf at 11000 ft center questioned our altitude, inferring our last clearance to be 12000 ft. A number of factors caused me to be unsure if (on seeing 11000 ft in the altitude alerter) I had in fact confirmed it when set by a very new first officer. A poor night's sleep after a particularly hard trip, the distraction of looking at niagara falls, and due to proximity to buf, the need to spend more time than normal in programming the FMS. It required repeated inputs to develop appropriate steering commands to the VOR. Only a reading of the ATC tapes will clarify if center had, in fact, reclred us to the lower altitude. Supplemental information from acn 481870: 2 mins prior to the VOR, we were instructed to turn left to a new vector and maintain 12000 ft and a 360 degree heading. Before we had leveled off from the turn, we were cleared back direct buf. I believe the main factor of this incident was the rapid fire of new headings and altitudes in a short time frame. Whether the clearance was misheard of misspoken, it was being transmitted at too fast a rate and it created confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN RJ65 FLC CROSSES THEIR ASSIGNED FIX 1000 FT BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AT BUF, NY.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM CVG-ROC, CLRED TO CROSS BUF AT 11000 FT. ZOB THEN REQUESTED A LEVELOFF AT 12000 FT, AND A L TURN TO 360 DEGS. I AM QUITE SURE 12000 FT HAD BEEN SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. AFTER A FEW MI WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO BUF AND THIS CREW BELIEVED WE WERE RECLRED TO 11000 FT. ON XING BUF AT 11000 FT CTR QUESTIONED OUR ALT, INFERRING OUR LAST CLRNC TO BE 12000 FT. A NUMBER OF FACTORS CAUSED ME TO BE UNSURE IF (ON SEEING 11000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER) I HAD IN FACT CONFIRMED IT WHEN SET BY A VERY NEW FO. A POOR NIGHT'S SLEEP AFTER A PARTICULARLY HARD TRIP, THE DISTR OF LOOKING AT NIAGARA FALLS, AND DUE TO PROX TO BUF, THE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME THAN NORMAL IN PROGRAMMING THE FMS. IT REQUIRED REPEATED INPUTS TO DEVELOP APPROPRIATE STEERING COMMANDS TO THE VOR. ONLY A READING OF THE ATC TAPES WILL CLARIFY IF CTR HAD, IN FACT, RECLRED US TO THE LOWER ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 481870: 2 MINS PRIOR TO THE VOR, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L TO A NEW VECTOR AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT AND A 360 DEG HDG. BEFORE WE HAD LEVELED OFF FROM THE TURN, WE WERE CLRED BACK DIRECT BUF. I BELIEVE THE MAIN FACTOR OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THE RAPID FIRE OF NEW HEADINGS AND ALTS IN A SHORT TIME FRAME. WHETHER THE CLRNC WAS MISHEARD OF MISSPOKEN, IT WAS BEING XMITTED AT TOO FAST A RATE AND IT CREATED CONFUSION.

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.