Narrative:

While flying the mrlin 4 arrival to the fxe airport, we were given a clearance to descend to 11000 ft and vectored off the arrival. The altitude was read back, put into the alerter and the gulfstream iv, on autoplt, continued its descent to the assigned altitude and heading. We were given a frequency change. The new controller issued a new clearance to intercept the 029 degree radial of the vkz VOR to resume the mrlin 4 arrival. As first officer of this trip operating the radio, I didn't understand the controller and asked him to read back the clearance, which he did. Somewhere in the translation, I got into my head that he said 260 degree radial and read it back to him that way. After a couple of exchanges, I realized I was reading it back wrong, told the controller he was right and corrected my readback. A few mins later, as we were about to level off at 11000 ft, the controller called and said we were supposed to level at 13000 ft. I never heard it nor did the captain flying the aircraft. I asked the controller if he wanted us at 13000 ft or 11000 ft. He said to stay at 11000 ft, and we did. I feel the 13000 ft altitude, if given, was lost in the confusion caused while trying to get the radial intercept part of the clearance correct. I never heard the 13000 ft nor was I asked to read it back. As always, the best corrective action I feel that can be made is to listen up very carefully -- especially during the arrival and approach portions of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CPR G-IV OVERSHOT INTERMEDIATE DSCNT ALT ON A STAR ARR DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING THE MRLIN 4 ARR TO THE FXE ARPT, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000 FT AND VECTORED OFF THE ARR. THE ALT WAS READ BACK, PUT INTO THE ALERTER AND THE GULFSTREAM IV, ON AUTOPLT, CONTINUED ITS DSCNT TO THE ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG. WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. THE NEW CTLR ISSUED A NEW CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE 029 DEG RADIAL OF THE VKZ VOR TO RESUME THE MRLIN 4 ARR. AS FO OF THIS TRIP OPERATING THE RADIO, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE CTLR AND ASKED HIM TO READ BACK THE CLRNC, WHICH HE DID. SOMEWHERE IN THE TRANSLATION, I GOT INTO MY HEAD THAT HE SAID 260 DEG RADIAL AND READ IT BACK TO HIM THAT WAY. AFTER A COUPLE OF EXCHANGES, I REALIZED I WAS READING IT BACK WRONG, TOLD THE CTLR HE WAS RIGHT AND CORRECTED MY READBACK. A FEW MINS LATER, AS WE WERE ABOUT TO LEVEL OFF AT 11000 FT, THE CTLR CALLED AND SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEVEL AT 13000 FT. I NEVER HEARD IT NOR DID THE CAPT FLYING THE ACFT. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED US AT 13000 FT OR 11000 FT. HE SAID TO STAY AT 11000 FT, AND WE DID. I FEEL THE 13000 FT ALT, IF GIVEN, WAS LOST IN THE CONFUSION CAUSED WHILE TRYING TO GET THE RADIAL INTERCEPT PART OF THE CLRNC CORRECT. I NEVER HEARD THE 13000 FT NOR WAS I ASKED TO READ IT BACK. AS ALWAYS, THE BEST CORRECTIVE ACTION I FEEL THAT CAN BE MADE IS TO LISTEN UP VERY CAREFULLY -- ESPECIALLY DURING THE ARR AND APCH PORTIONS OF THE FLT.

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.