An SF340 captain reported fatigue contributed to his altitude undershoot in pit's airspace.

Attributes
ACN	595952
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Saab-Scania Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 238 flight time total : 3201 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	595952
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZOB descended us to 11000 ft and handed us off to pittsburg approach. When we checked in, pittsburg approach asked us why we were at 11000 ft. We replied, 'it's the last altitude we were assigned.' after a brief pause (during which the pit approach controller was apparently on the land line to ZOB), the pit controller informed us that we were supposed to be at 9000 ft. It is unclr whether cleveland failed to clear us to 9000 ft or whether they cleared us and we forgot to descend. My first officer could not verify either scenario because he had been off-frequency giving a cabin announcement, calling in-range, and getting our gate assignment on communication #2 per our company procedure. A contributing factor is that the company worked me near FAA limits day after day preceding this event. Today I was scheduled for almost 8 hours. The prior day I had to be removed from 3 legs for being over 30 hours in 7 days. The FAA limits (8 hours flying, 16 hour duty, 30 hours in 7 days, etc) work satisfactory for any 1 day, but I believe they are insufficient to prevent the cumulative fatigue that occurs when the company uses pilots to at/near FAA limits for several consecutive days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340 CAPT RPTED FATIGUE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS ALT UNDERSHOOT IN PIT'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ZOB DSNDED US TO 11000 FT AND HANDED US OFF TO PITTSBURG APCH. WHEN WE CHKED IN, PITTSBURG APCH ASKED US WHY WE WERE AT 11000 FT. WE REPLIED, 'IT'S THE LAST ALT WE WERE ASSIGNED.' AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE (DURING WHICH THE PIT APCH CTLR WAS APPARENTLY ON THE LAND LINE TO ZOB), THE PIT CTLR INFORMED US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 9000 FT. IT IS UNCLR WHETHER CLEVELAND FAILED TO CLR US TO 9000 FT OR WHETHER THEY CLRED US AND WE FORGOT TO DSND. MY FO COULD NOT VERIFY EITHER SCENARIO BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN OFF-FREQ GIVING A CABIN ANNOUNCEMENT, CALLING IN-RANGE, AND GETTING OUR GATE ASSIGNMENT ON COM #2 PER OUR COMPANY PROC. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT THE COMPANY WORKED ME NEAR FAA LIMITS DAY AFTER DAY PRECEDING THIS EVENT. TODAY I WAS SCHEDULED FOR ALMOST 8 HRS. THE PRIOR DAY I HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM 3 LEGS FOR BEING OVER 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS. THE FAA LIMITS (8 HRS FLYING, 16 HR DUTY, 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS, ETC) WORK SATISFACTORY FOR ANY 1 DAY, BUT I BELIEVE THEY ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PREVENT THE CUMULATIVE FATIGUE THAT OCCURS WHEN THE COMPANY USES PLTS TO AT/NEAR FAA LIMITS FOR SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE DAYS.

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.