Pilot of atx X descended to wrong assigned altitude. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	119657
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eri
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eri
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : eri enroute airway : zob
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	119657
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Atx X from dtw to eri was cleared from 13,000 to maintain 11,000. Pilot readback was correct. Aircraft descended to 10,000 violating eri approach airspace. The radar controller spotted the descent and advised eri approach. No loss of separation occurred. Controller was very fatigued due to lack of sleep from a sick child. We have been advised that we cannot take sick leave for this reason. Maybe an alert controller would have spotted the altitude deviation sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX X DESCENDED TO WRONG ASSIGNED ALT. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ATX X FROM DTW TO ERI WAS CLRED FROM 13,000 TO MAINTAIN 11,000. PLT READBACK WAS CORRECT. ACFT DESCENDED TO 10,000 VIOLATING ERI APCH AIRSPACE. THE RADAR CTLR SPOTTED THE DSCNT AND ADVISED ERI APCH. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. CTLR WAS VERY FATIGUED DUE TO LACK OF SLEEP FROM A SICK CHILD. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE CANNOT TAKE SICK LEAVE FOR THIS REASON. MAYBE AN ALERT CTLR WOULD HAVE SPOTTED THE ALT DEVIATION SOONER.

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.