Altitude assignment copied wrong. Cleared to 3000' readback 2000'.

Attributes
ACN	93496
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 6220
ASRS Report	93496
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

White plains approach control assigned what sounded like 2000' altitude. First officer read back 2000' to approach control. I thought it was a little low for about 13 mi from the airport. I also thought the altitude assigned sounded like 3000' to me, but because the readback was not corrected by approach control, I did not question it or ask for verification. Approach asked us to verify our altitude after we were at 2000' for about 2 mins. The first officer told him 2000' and approach control said we were assigned 3000' but it was no problem. I should have asked for verification even though our readback of 2000' was not corrected by approach because of the uncertainty that was still in my mind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT ASSIGNMENT COPIED WRONG. CLEARED TO 3000' READBACK 2000'.

Narrative: WHITE PLAINS APCH CTL ASSIGNED WHAT SOUNDED LIKE 2000' ALT. F/O READ BACK 2000' TO APCH CTL. I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE LOW FOR ABOUT 13 MI FROM THE ARPT. I ALSO THOUGHT THE ALT ASSIGNED SOUNDED LIKE 3000' TO ME, BUT BECAUSE THE READBACK WAS NOT CORRECTED BY APCH CTL, I DID NOT QUESTION IT OR ASK FOR VERIFICATION. APCH ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT AFTER WE WERE AT 2000' FOR ABOUT 2 MINS. THE F/O TOLD HIM 2000' AND APCH CTL SAID WE WERE ASSIGNED 3000' BUT IT WAS NO PROB. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR VERIFICATION EVEN THOUGH OUR READBACK OF 2000' WAS NOT CORRECTED BY APCH BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY THAT WAS STILL IN MY MIND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.