Narrative:

ZLC gave us a clearance to cross 15 NM east of ffu VOR at 18000' and 250 KTS. Slc was reporting RVR 1600, so I gave the aircraft to the first officer during the descent and I called flight control (I was off high minimums but not legal yet to go to CAT III minimums) while I was talking to the dispatcher ATC gave us holding instructions at ffu VOR. The first officer didn't mention that holding instructions were for FL200 nor did he set the altitude alert to a new altitude. I took the aircraft back and made my 17000' 'crossing restriction' that I thought we still had. ATC called us at about 25 NM east, after I had leveled and said we must have taken someone elses clearance, that they wanted us to climb to FL200. Since we were there we were reclred to FL220. In the future I will insist that my first officer's read back my entire holding instructions if I am on another frequency. But this was my second trip with this first officer and he was in the habit of always repeating clrncs. We had a good team effort going except for this one letdown. CRM was utilized as much as possible throughout the rotation. To my knowledge there was no traffic conflict.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW CLEARED TO HOLDING FIX AT FL200. FO TOOK THE CLRNC BUT FAILED TO ADVISE CAPT REGARDING NEW ALT VERSUS PREVIOUS CLRNC TO 17000'. CAPT NOW FLYING OVERSHOT ALT ON DESCENT.

Narrative: ZLC GAVE US A CLRNC TO CROSS 15 NM E OF FFU VOR AT 18000' AND 250 KTS. SLC WAS RPTING RVR 1600, SO I GAVE THE ACFT TO THE F/O DURING THE DSNT AND I CALLED FLT CTL (I WAS OFF HIGH MINIMUMS BUT NOT LEGAL YET TO GO TO CAT III MINIMUMS) WHILE I WAS TALKING TO THE DISPATCHER ATC GAVE US HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT FFU VOR. THE F/O DIDN'T MENTION THAT HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR FL200 NOR DID HE SET THE ALT ALERT TO A NEW ALT. I TOOK THE ACFT BACK AND MADE MY 17000' 'XING RESTRICTION' THAT I THOUGHT WE STILL HAD. ATC CALLED US AT ABOUT 25 NM E, AFTER I HAD LEVELED AND SAID WE MUST HAVE TAKEN SOMEONE ELSES CLRNC, THAT THEY WANTED US TO CLB TO FL200. SINCE WE WERE THERE WE WERE RECLRED TO FL220. IN THE FUTURE I WILL INSIST THAT MY F/O'S READ BACK MY ENTIRE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS IF I AM ON ANOTHER FREQ. BUT THIS WAS MY SEC TRIP WITH THIS F/O AND HE WAS IN THE HABIT OF ALWAYS REPEATING CLRNCS. WE HAD A GOOD TEAM EFFORT GOING EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE LETDOWN. CRM WAS UTILIZED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE ROTATION. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT.

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.