Air carrier light transport altitude deviation in descent to mco.

Attributes
ACN	143968
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orl airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma tracon : mco
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	143968
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	144143
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cleared to cross 35 NM south of orl for a landing at mco at 8000'. I read back 8000' and set the autoplt altitude alert to that altitude. After leaving 10000', center handed us off to mco approach. Established contact with approach at about 8500' and they questioned the crossing altitude, saying it should have been 10000'. There was no other traffic. First officer was listening to the ATIS. We were subsequently told to maintain 8000'. We should have been alerted by center prior to handoff since we were already below 10000'. Supplemental information from acn 144143: I was off of comm 1 (the center frequency) and was picking up the mco ATIS on comm 2. When I returned to comm 1 we were in a descent and the captain informed me we were cleared to 8000'. Descending through 9000' ZMA turned us over to mco approach. On my initial contact with mco approach I informed them that we were descending through 8000' and some hundred ft altitude for 8000'. Approach questioned our assigned altitude and then checked it with center. Center informed approach that we were cleared to 10000'. Approach then cleared us to 8000' and told us that we were lucky that there wasn't a traffic conflict. Since I was off of the center frequency when the clearance was given, I don't know if the controller or the captain made the error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT ALT DEVIATION IN DESCENT TO MCO.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS 35 NM S OF ORL FOR A LNDG AT MCO AT 8000'. I READ BACK 8000' AND SET THE AUTOPLT ALT ALERT TO THAT ALT. AFTER LEAVING 10000', CENTER HANDED US OFF TO MCO APCH. ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH APCH AT ABOUT 8500' AND THEY QUESTIONED THE XING ALT, SAYING IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 10000'. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC. F/O WAS LISTENING TO THE ATIS. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD TO MAINTAIN 8000'. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALERTED BY CENTER PRIOR TO HDOF SINCE WE WERE ALREADY BELOW 10000'. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 144143: I WAS OFF OF COMM 1 (THE CENTER FREQ) AND WAS PICKING UP THE MCO ATIS ON COMM 2. WHEN I RETURNED TO COMM 1 WE WERE IN A DSNT AND THE CAPT INFORMED ME WE WERE CLRED TO 8000'. DSNDING THROUGH 9000' ZMA TURNED US OVER TO MCO APCH. ON MY INITIAL CONTACT WITH MCO APCH I INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 8000' AND SOME HUNDRED FT ALT FOR 8000'. APCH QUESTIONED OUR ASSIGNED ALT AND THEN CHKED IT WITH CENTER. CENTER INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 10000'. APCH THEN CLRED US TO 8000' AND TOLD US THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WASN'T A TFC CONFLICT. SINCE I WAS OFF OF THE CENTER FREQ WHEN THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CTLR OR THE CAPT MADE THE ERROR.

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.