Narrative:

I was flying the aircraft heading 180 degrees, altitude 5000' MSL. First officer missed first call from ny approach for a left turn to 140 degrees and maintain 3000' MSL. I directed the first officer to answer, which he did with the 140 degree heading. I initiated the descent to 3000' MSL. Passing approximately 4400' MSL, ny approach advised us 5000' MSL assigned, level at 4000' MSL, traffic at 2 O'clock 3000', an small aircraft northbound. Second officer recalls descent to 3000' MSL. First officer didn't update altitude alerter to 3000' MSL, nor read back 'maintain 3000',' but did query me about altitude just prior to ny approach control's call. He admitted missing the first call completely. Problem could have been averted had I answered the ny approach control myself with heading 140 degrees and maintain 3000' or assumed the first officer had responded with heading and altitude. Second officer should have confirmed the assigned heading and altitude after first officer missed the first call. Supplemental information from acn 95943: as PNF I responded to approach's order to descend to 5000' and to turn left to a heading of 140 degrees magnetic. I called out of 6000' and the next thing I realized was that we were descending through 4700'. I called this to captain's attention, that we were cleared to 5000'. He thought we were cleared to 3000'. Controller saw our altitude and said we were to maintain 5000', but then said descend to 4000'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG OVERSHOT ALT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ACFT HDG 180 DEGS, ALT 5000' MSL. F/O MISSED FIRST CALL FROM NY APCH FOR A LEFT TURN TO 140 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 3000' MSL. I DIRECTED THE F/O TO ANSWER, WHICH HE DID WITH THE 140 DEG HDG. I INITIATED THE DSCNT TO 3000' MSL. PASSING APPROX 4400' MSL, NY APCH ADVISED US 5000' MSL ASSIGNED, LEVEL AT 4000' MSL, TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK 3000', AN SMA NBND. S/O RECALLS DSCNT TO 3000' MSL. F/O DIDN'T UPDATE ALT ALERTER TO 3000' MSL, NOR READ BACK 'MAINTAIN 3000',' BUT DID QUERY ME ABOUT ALT JUST PRIOR TO NY APCH CTL'S CALL. HE ADMITTED MISSING THE FIRST CALL COMPLETELY. PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED HAD I ANSWERED THE NY APCH CTL MYSELF WITH HDG 140 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 3000' OR ASSUMED THE F/O HAD RESPONDED WITH HDG AND ALT. S/O SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT AFTER F/O MISSED THE FIRST CALL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 95943: AS PNF I RESPONDED TO APCH'S ORDER TO DSND TO 5000' AND TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS MAGNETIC. I CALLED OUT OF 6000' AND THE NEXT THING I REALIZED WAS THAT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 4700'. I CALLED THIS TO CAPT'S ATTN, THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 5000'. HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO 3000'. CTLR SAW OUR ALT AND SAID WE WERE TO MAINTAIN 5000', BUT THEN SAID DSND TO 4000'.

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.