Narrative:

ATC cleared our flight to cross pvd at 11,000 MSL and 250 KIAS. After leveling off at 11,000 and approximately 7 mi from pvd, I (the pilot) looked at the altitude reminder and it was set on 10,000'. I asked the captain what our clearance was and he said we were cleared to cross pvd at 10,000 and 250 KIAS. I descended to 10,000 MSL. Nearing pvd, ATC stated our clearance was 11,000 MSL and 250 KIAS. Further discussion between the captain, myself, and ATC, seems to indicate that the captain read back 10,000 MSL and 250 KIAS. I did not note what the captain set in the altitude reminder at the time of the original descent clearance, nor can I clearly remember what he actually said in his readback. Nothing was unusual until I leveled off at 11,000 and looked over at the altitude reminder and saw 10,000 in the window. I believe that this was a classic communication problem with blame resting with both ATC and our own flight communications. The fact that I questioned the clearance should have triggered a mental alarm to have clarified the clearance. No problems resulted from this incident. I believe that ATC is too overburdened with heavy traffic and controllers are rushed to their limits and aren't always carefully listening to readbacks.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 11,000 DESCENDED TO 10,000. ARTCC CTLR NOTED THE ERROR. FLT CREW DISPUTED CLRNC.

Narrative: ATC CLRED OUR FLT TO CROSS PVD AT 11,000 MSL AND 250 KIAS. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 11,000 AND APPROX 7 MI FROM PVD, I (THE PLT) LOOKED AT THE ALT REMINDER AND IT WAS SET ON 10,000'. I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT OUR CLRNC WAS AND HE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS PVD AT 10,000 AND 250 KIAS. I DESCENDED TO 10,000 MSL. NEARING PVD, ATC STATED OUR CLRNC WAS 11,000 MSL AND 250 KIAS. FURTHER DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE CAPT, MYSELF, AND ATC, SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THE CAPT READ BACK 10,000 MSL AND 250 KIAS. I DID NOT NOTE WHAT THE CAPT SET IN THE ALT REMINDER AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL DSCNT CLRNC, NOR CAN I CLEARLY REMEMBER WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID IN HIS READBACK. NOTHING WAS UNUSUAL UNTIL I LEVELED OFF AT 11,000 AND LOOKED OVER AT THE ALT REMINDER AND SAW 10,000 IN THE WINDOW. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A CLASSIC COM PROBLEM WITH BLAME RESTING WITH BOTH ATC AND OUR OWN FLT COMS. THE FACT THAT I QUESTIONED THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE TRIGGERED A MENTAL ALARM TO HAVE CLARIFIED THE CLRNC. NO PROBLEMS RESULTED FROM THIS INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT ATC IS TOO OVERBURDENED WITH HEAVY TFC AND CTLRS ARE RUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS AND AREN'T ALWAYS CAREFULLY LISTENING TO READBACKS.

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.