Narrative:

Approaching fll from the east and not on a STAR, headed toward dekal intersection. I was off frequency, and first officer believed he received and read back clearance to cross dekal at 16000 ft. Approaching dekal, with me back on frequency, ZMA asked if we were going to make 6000 ft at dekal, and I responded, 'you mean 16000 ft.' ZMA said, 'negative, 6000 ft,' and I immediately advised we were unable. We then received a vector, which amounted to a left box pattern to rejoin the arrival traffic. I asked the controller if this was going to be a problem and if I needed to write it up. He responded that there was not a problem. I thanked him for his help, and then received a frequency change. During a lull, I asked the new controller about the 6000 ft crossing at dekal, since there is nothing published. His response was that there's an LOA with ZMA. I thought it unusual to be at 6000 ft some 60 DME off the coast. I asked for a phone number of previous controller, so that I might get a better understanding for future reference. I spoke with the manager who also said there was no problem, or he would've been notified. I explained the situation to him, and he said he would listen to the tapes and get back to me. As of this report, I have not heard from him. Since there is no STAR for that arrival routing. Perhaps something could be mentioned in the commercial chart pages for VNAV planning purposes? Apparently, this was a case of missing the correct clearance and missing the readback clearance. As a side note, the MCP had 16000 ft in the window, and my first officer briefed me that we had clearance to cross dekal at 16000 ft. Again, according to all parties concerned, there was 'no harm, no foul.' I am just writing this for the benefit of other air crews and general awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MADE WHEN A CLRNC TO 6000 FT IS MISINTERPED BY THE FO WITHOUT A READBACK CORRECTION BY ATC, 60 MI SE OF FLL, FL.

Narrative: APCHING FLL FROM THE E AND NOT ON A STAR, HEADED TOWARD DEKAL INTXN. I WAS OFF FREQ, AND FO BELIEVED HE RECEIVED AND READ BACK CLRNC TO CROSS DEKAL AT 16000 FT. APCHING DEKAL, WITH ME BACK ON FREQ, ZMA ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE 6000 FT AT DEKAL, AND I RESPONDED, 'YOU MEAN 16000 FT.' ZMA SAID, 'NEGATIVE, 6000 FT,' AND I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED WE WERE UNABLE. WE THEN RECEIVED A VECTOR, WHICH AMOUNTED TO A L BOX PATTERN TO REJOIN THE ARR TFC. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PROB AND IF I NEEDED TO WRITE IT UP. HE RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROB. I THANKED HIM FOR HIS HELP, AND THEN RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE. DURING A LULL, I ASKED THE NEW CTLR ABOUT THE 6000 FT XING AT DEKAL, SINCE THERE IS NOTHING PUBLISHED. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE'S AN LOA WITH ZMA. I THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL TO BE AT 6000 FT SOME 60 DME OFF THE COAST. I ASKED FOR A PHONE NUMBER OF PREVIOUS CTLR, SO THAT I MIGHT GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FOR FUTURE REF. I SPOKE WITH THE MGR WHO ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO PROB, OR HE WOULD'VE BEEN NOTIFIED. I EXPLAINED THE SIT TO HIM, AND HE SAID HE WOULD LISTEN TO THE TAPES AND GET BACK TO ME. AS OF THIS RPT, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM. SINCE THERE IS NO STAR FOR THAT ARR ROUTING. PERHAPS SOMETHING COULD BE MENTIONED IN THE COMMERCIAL CHART PAGES FOR VNAV PLANNING PURPOSES? APPARENTLY, THIS WAS A CASE OF MISSING THE CORRECT CLRNC AND MISSING THE READBACK CLRNC. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE MCP HAD 16000 FT IN THE WINDOW, AND MY FO BRIEFED ME THAT WE HAD CLRNC TO CROSS DEKAL AT 16000 FT. AGAIN, ACCORDING TO ALL PARTIES CONCERNED, THERE WAS 'NO HARM, NO FOUL.' I AM JUST WRITING THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHER AIR CREWS AND GENERAL AWARENESS.

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.