Altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	141482
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	141482
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approximately 50 NM north of pie VOR ZJX gave us clearance to descend to FL270. About 20 north of pie VOR ZJX said, 'you know you're supposed to cross pie VOR at 270.' we responded, 'no, but we will comply.' during this period of time the first officer was making a passenger announcement informing passenger of our arrival to rsw. About 10 NM north of pie VOR, ZJX switched us over to ZMA. I (captain and PF) thought we were cleared to cross pie VOR at 24000', set 24000' in altitude window (autoplt) and crossed pie VOR at 24000'. First officer was now making passenger announcement and did not notice FL240 in altitude window. About 10 NM south of pie VOR ZMA asked us what our altitude was. We replied FL240. There was no conflict or other aircraft in the area. The reason I understood clearance to cross pie VOR at FL240 is because of our unusual lengthy flight #, abcd (sounded like FL240)--4 digits instead of our usual 3 digits. Another reason was because of fatigue--4 hours sleep before commuting to work in atl--awake a little over 11 hours before event took place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION.

Narrative: APPROX 50 NM N OF PIE VOR ZJX GAVE US CLRNC TO DSND TO FL270. ABOUT 20 N OF PIE VOR ZJX SAID, 'YOU KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CROSS PIE VOR AT 270.' WE RESPONDED, 'NO, BUT WE WILL COMPLY.' DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME THE F/O WAS MAKING A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT INFORMING PAX OF OUR ARR TO RSW. ABOUT 10 NM N OF PIE VOR, ZJX SWITCHED US OVER TO ZMA. I (CAPT AND PF) THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS PIE VOR AT 24000', SET 24000' IN ALT WINDOW (AUTOPLT) AND CROSSED PIE VOR AT 24000'. F/O WAS NOW MAKING PAX ANNOUNCEMENT AND DID NOT NOTICE FL240 IN ALT WINDOW. ABOUT 10 NM S OF PIE VOR ZMA ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE REPLIED FL240. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OR OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. THE REASON I UNDERSTOOD CLRNC TO CROSS PIE VOR AT FL240 IS BECAUSE OF OUR UNUSUAL LENGTHY FLT #, ABCD (SOUNDED LIKE FL240)--4 DIGITS INSTEAD OF OUR USUAL 3 DIGITS. ANOTHER REASON WAS BECAUSE OF FATIGUE--4 HRS SLEEP BEFORE COMMUTING TO WORK IN ATL--AWAKE A LITTLE OVER 11 HRS BEFORE EVENT TOOK PLACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.