Emj flight crew arriving dfw descended through assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	572733
Time
Date	200301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : byp.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16200 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	572733
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were given a descent clearance from FL240 to 11000 ft. Descending through FL190, we were given holding instructions, in non standard verbiage, to 'hold on whatever radial you're on now over bonham, maintain one eight zero, expect further clearance at XXXX.' I read back 'hold north of byp on the 030 degree radial, expect further clearance at XXXX.' a couple of seconds later, ATC asked us our altitude. Unfortunately we were at 16200 ft at the time. I told ATC 16200 ft, and we were returning to FL180. ATC then gave new instructions to descend to 15000 ft, expedite through 16000 ft, which we did. It didn't appear to cause a traffic conflict, and ATC did not mention it further. In discussing with first officer XXX, he said he never heard the FL180 part of clearance. (First officer XXX was PF.) we both also discussed that the non standard verbiage and late instruction to FL180 (we likely were already through FL180 by the time I read back the clearance) contributed to our deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMJ FLT CREW ARRIVING DFW DSNDED THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC FROM FL240 TO 11000 FT. DSNDING THROUGH FL190, WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS, IN NON STANDARD VERBIAGE, TO 'HOLD ON WHATEVER RADIAL YOU'RE ON NOW OVER BONHAM, MAINTAIN ONE EIGHT ZERO, EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC AT XXXX.' I READ BACK 'HOLD N OF BYP ON THE 030 DEG RADIAL, EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC AT XXXX.' A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER, ATC ASKED US OUR ALT. UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE AT 16200 FT AT THE TIME. I TOLD ATC 16200 FT, AND WE WERE RETURNING TO FL180. ATC THEN GAVE NEW INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND TO 15000 FT, EXPEDITE THROUGH 16000 FT, WHICH WE DID. IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO CAUSE A TFC CONFLICT, AND ATC DID NOT MENTION IT FURTHER. IN DISCUSSING WITH FO XXX, HE SAID HE NEVER HEARD THE FL180 PART OF CLRNC. (FO XXX WAS PF.) WE BOTH ALSO DISCUSSED THAT THE NON STANDARD VERBIAGE AND LATE INSTRUCTION TO FL180 (WE LIKELY WERE ALREADY THROUGH FL180 BY THE TIME I READ BACK THE CLRNC) CONTRIBUTED TO OUR DEV.

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.