Narrative:

Flying from okc to mem, we were given radar vectors while on the gilmore arrival into mem. When given direct to gilmore, we were cleared to cross 10 DME west of gilmore at 10000 ft. When we were descending, the first officer said we have so many mi to reach 10000 ft. When we got to gilmore, the first officer said 'I guess it did not matter that we did not cross 20 DME from gilmore at 10000 ft.' that's the first time I realize we both heard a different clearance. ATC did not say anything, but I feel this confusion is noteworthy. First we had a radio that forced the first officer to turn up his volume to the maximum amount to hear anything. My volume even with the volume on the lowest setting was too loud to the point of hurting my left ear. I used the overhead speaker and took out my ear piece. (This is the first time I had ever done this.) I thought I heard the clearance to cross 10 NM west of gilmore at 10000 ft. I was on a comfortable descent and reached 10000 ft 15 DME from gilmore but the first officer heard cross 20 DME west of gilmore at 10000 ft. Instead of saying this, he made suggestions like how many mi to reach 10000 ft. I did not pick up on this clue. There was no incident, ATC never said anything and I still don't know which one of us heard the correct clearance. I make no excuses and I realize that the responsibility rests solely on my shoulders. I learned the following lessons: 1) to find an alternate means of monitoring the radios which does not rely upon the speaker being the primary listening device, and not to take out my ear piece. 2) I now brief all first officer's that if they see something that does not look right, to say exactly what they feel the discrepancy is instead of making suggestions or trying to make hints.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLC ON APCH TO MEM FAILS TO MAKE THEIR ASSIGNED XING RESTR 20 MI W OF GQE, AR.

Narrative: FLYING FROM OKC TO MEM, WE WERE GIVEN RADAR VECTORS WHILE ON THE GILMORE ARR INTO MEM. WHEN GIVEN DIRECT TO GILMORE, WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 10 DME W OF GILMORE AT 10000 FT. WHEN WE WERE DSNDING, THE FO SAID WE HAVE SO MANY MI TO REACH 10000 FT. WHEN WE GOT TO GILMORE, THE FO SAID 'I GUESS IT DID NOT MATTER THAT WE DID NOT CROSS 20 DME FROM GILMORE AT 10000 FT.' THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I REALIZE WE BOTH HEARD A DIFFERENT CLRNC. ATC DID NOT SAY ANYTHING, BUT I FEEL THIS CONFUSION IS NOTEWORTHY. FIRST WE HAD A RADIO THAT FORCED THE FO TO TURN UP HIS VOLUME TO THE MAX AMOUNT TO HEAR ANYTHING. MY VOLUME EVEN WITH THE VOLUME ON THE LOWEST SETTING WAS TOO LOUD TO THE POINT OF HURTING MY L EAR. I USED THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER AND TOOK OUT MY EAR PIECE. (THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER DONE THIS.) I THOUGHT I HEARD THE CLRNC TO CROSS 10 NM W OF GILMORE AT 10000 FT. I WAS ON A COMFORTABLE DSCNT AND REACHED 10000 FT 15 DME FROM GILMORE BUT THE FO HEARD CROSS 20 DME W OF GILMORE AT 10000 FT. INSTEAD OF SAYING THIS, HE MADE SUGGESTIONS LIKE HOW MANY MI TO REACH 10000 FT. I DID NOT PICK UP ON THIS CLUE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT, ATC NEVER SAID ANYTHING AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF US HEARD THE CORRECT CLRNC. I MAKE NO EXCUSES AND I REALIZE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS SOLELY ON MY SHOULDERS. I LEARNED THE FOLLOWING LESSONS: 1) TO FIND AN ALTERNATE MEANS OF MONITORING THE RADIOS WHICH DOES NOT RELY UPON THE SPEAKER BEING THE PRIMARY LISTENING DEVICE, AND NOT TO TAKE OUT MY EAR PIECE. 2) I NOW BRIEF ALL FO'S THAT IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT LOOK RIGHT, TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT THEY FEEL THE DISCREPANCY IS INSTEAD OF MAKING SUGGESTIONS OR TRYING TO MAKE HINTS.

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.