Cleared to 17000' and got to 16000'.

Attributes
ACN	169519
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hdf airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	169519
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	169520
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After clearance to 17000' we were given direct hdf cross 20 mi northeast hdf at 14000'. Hdf VOR does not have DME. This required that the captain modify the route in the FMS computer to determine this clearance point. After this was accomplished it was evident that we would be high at this point unless we used a steep descent rate. While descending through 17000', the controller told us to level off at 16000'. We did this and then were told by the controller that the clearance to 14000' was only an expected clearance. No aircraft or terrain conflict occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEARED TO 17000' AND GOT TO 16000'.

Narrative: AFTER CLRNC TO 17000' WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT HDF CROSS 20 MI NE HDF AT 14000'. HDF VOR DOES NOT HAVE DME. THIS REQUIRED THAT THE CAPT MODIFY THE RTE IN THE FMS COMPUTER TO DETERMINE THIS CLRNC POINT. AFTER THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WE WOULD BE HIGH AT THIS POINT UNLESS WE USED A STEEP DSNT RATE. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 17000', THE CTLR TOLD US TO LEVEL OFF AT 16000'. WE DID THIS AND THEN WERE TOLD BY THE CTLR THAT THE CLRNC TO 14000' WAS ONLY AN EXPECTED CLRNC. NO ACFT OR TERRAIN CONFLICT OCCURRED.

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.