Altitude deviation. Altitude overshoot on descent.

Attributes
ACN	120566
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdf
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	120566
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was the captain on abc airline's flight xx going into ord. The first officer was flying. We were cleared to cross plano intersection at 10000'. Plano is about 50 mi from ord. We descended from FL200 to 10000'. At this time center asked me what our altitude was. I replied 10000'. Center said that we were cleared to 11000', so we climbed back to 11000'. I might add that center was holding airplanes at plano, and we were about 10 mi from plano. Nothing more was said as we were looking for airplanes and the frequency was very busy. This problem is not new and I do not know what the answer is. Both the first officer and I remember me reading back, 'cross plano at 10000'.' even if the controller said 11000', and I do not think he did, no one was listening to my readback or the controller heard what he expected to hear. I may have been doing the same thing in reverse, as we normally cross plano at 10000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. ALT OVERSHOOT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON ABC AIRLINE'S FLT XX GOING INTO ORD. THE F/O WAS FLYING. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS PLANO INTXN AT 10000'. PLANO IS ABOUT 50 MI FROM ORD. WE DSNDED FROM FL200 TO 10000'. AT THIS TIME CENTER ASKED ME WHAT OUR ALT WAS. I REPLIED 10000'. CENTER SAID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 11000', SO WE CLBED BACK TO 11000'. I MIGHT ADD THAT CENTER WAS HOLDING AIRPLANES AT PLANO, AND WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI FROM PLANO. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID AS WE WERE LOOKING FOR AIRPLANES AND THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY. THIS PROB IS NOT NEW AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS. BOTH THE F/O AND I REMEMBER ME READING BACK, 'CROSS PLANO AT 10000'.' EVEN IF THE CTLR SAID 11000', AND I DO NOT THINK HE DID, NO ONE WAS LISTENING TO MY READBACK OR THE CTLR HEARD WHAT HE EXPECTED TO HEAR. I MAY HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING IN REVERSE, AS WE NORMALLY CROSS PLANO AT 10000'.

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.