Large transport on descent receives incorrect clearance altitude.

Attributes
ACN	128685
Time
Date	198911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	128685
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Bay cleared flight from 11000 to 8000'. At 9500' bay asked what altitude we were descending to. We replied 8000'. Evidently we should have been cleared to 10000'. We leveled off, then cleared to 8000' shortly thereafter. All 3 of us acknowledged clearance to 8000' and set in altitude alerter. He apologized for the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ON DESCENT RECEIVES INCORRECT CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: BAY CLRED FLT FROM 11000 TO 8000'. AT 9500' BAY ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE DSNDING TO. WE REPLIED 8000'. EVIDENTLY WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED TO 10000'. WE LEVELED OFF, THEN CLRED TO 8000' SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ALL 3 OF US ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO 8000' AND SET IN ALT ALERTER. HE APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR.

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.