Air carrier medium large transport overshoots altitude in descent.

Attributes
ACN	144325
Time
Date	199004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
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
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	144325
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

During descent on our last leg of the day, the captain was off of center frequency because he was talking to company operations. While he was off, the first officer received a clearance to continue descent to 10000' or 11000'. The first officer read back 10000' MSL to the controller. When the captain came back to center frequency, the first officer said we were cleared to 10000' MSL. The captain flew the aircraft down to 10500' and the controller told us to climb back to 11000' because he cleared us only to 11000' MSL. We informed him that we read back 10000' MSL and immediately climbed to 11000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG OVERSHOOTS ALT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: DURING DSNT ON OUR LAST LEG OF THE DAY, THE CAPT WAS OFF OF CTR FREQ BECAUSE HE WAS TALKING TO COMPANY OPS. WHILE HE WAS OFF, THE F/O RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CONTINUE DSNT TO 10000' OR 11000'. THE F/O READ BACK 10000' MSL TO THE CTLR. WHEN THE CAPT CAME BACK TO CTR FREQ, THE F/O SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 10000' MSL. THE CAPT FLEW THE ACFT DOWN TO 10500' AND THE CTLR TOLD US TO CLB BACK TO 11000' BECAUSE HE CLRED US ONLY TO 11000' MSL. WE INFORMED HIM THAT WE READ BACK 10000' MSL AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 11000'.

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.