An air carrier crew flies their expected clearance instead of the one given resulting in a crossing ...

Attributes
ACN	525250
Time
Date	200109
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : erlin
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12600 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : rome two
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1150
ASRS Report	525250
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When landing east at atl, the RMG2 arrival states to expect erlin intersection at 250 KTS and 13000 ft. ZTL slaved us to 250 KTS early for flow into atl and we were given a descent to 13000 ft, but no crossing restr. On initial contact with atl approach I believe we were given 10000 ft and to cross erlin at 13000 ft. Upon readback, the approach controller then said to cross dalas at 10000 ft and erlin at 13000 ft. For whatever reason, we both thought he meant to cross erlin at or below 13000 ft and dalas at 10000 ft and we subsequentially crossed erlin about 300 ft or 400 ft low. No traffic conflict existed and the controller just had us keep up our descent. As I monday morning quarterback this event, I think we fell victim to expectations. It is common to get a descent to 10000 ft upon initial check in with atl approach, so I think we heard what we expected to hear instead of what was actually said. Simply said, it's a matter of staying focused, even in good WX at an airport you're very familiar with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW FLIES THEIR EXPECTED CLRNC INSTEAD OF THE ONE GIVEN RESULTING IN A XING ALT MISSED.

Narrative: WHEN LNDG E AT ATL, THE RMG2 ARR STATES TO EXPECT ERLIN INTXN AT 250 KTS AND 13000 FT. ZTL SLAVED US TO 250 KTS EARLY FOR FLOW INTO ATL AND WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 13000 FT, BUT NO XING RESTR. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ATL APCH I BELIEVE WE WERE GIVEN 10000 FT AND TO CROSS ERLIN AT 13000 FT. UPON READBACK, THE APCH CTLR THEN SAID TO CROSS DALAS AT 10000 FT AND ERLIN AT 13000 FT. FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE BOTH THOUGHT HE MEANT TO CROSS ERLIN AT OR BELOW 13000 FT AND DALAS AT 10000 FT AND WE SUBSEQUENTIALLY CROSSED ERLIN ABOUT 300 FT OR 400 FT LOW. NO TFC CONFLICT EXISTED AND THE CTLR JUST HAD US KEEP UP OUR DSCNT. AS I MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK THIS EVENT, I THINK WE FELL VICTIM TO EXPECTATIONS. IT IS COMMON TO GET A DSCNT TO 10000 FT UPON INITIAL CHK IN WITH ATL APCH, SO I THINK WE HEARD WHAT WE EXPECTED TO HEAR INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. SIMPLY SAID, IT'S A MATTER OF STAYING FOCUSED, EVEN IN GOOD WX AT AN ARPT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

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.

An air carrier crew flies their expected clearance instead of the one given resulting in a crossing altitude missed.