Air carrier X non adherence to ATC clearance missed crossing restriction. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	227581
Time
Date	199212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	227581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X was cleared to cross keann intersection at 11000 ft, 250 KTS. At 12500 ft asked us to confirm altitude and clearance. When we told him 12500 ft to cross keann at 11000 ft, 250 KTS, he responded 'no, 17' and then reclred us to 12000 ft due to traffic to our left at 11000 ft. Nothing more was said and no conflict occurred. Rest of flight was routine. All 3 pilots are convinced we were cleared to 11000 ft. We were using a newly instituted procedure of altitude verification in clrncs, and had been all month. At this point, I do not know what caused this discrepancy. The normal crossing altitude is 17000 ft at keann and we then are routinely cleared to 11000 ft for vectoring to final approach. Our entire flight from central iowa was characterized by 'micro-management' by ATC to fit us in with other traffic. Many changes of heading, altitude and airspeed, so this clearance did not arouse the suspicion it might have otherwise caused if we were using a charted arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC MISSED XING RESTRICTION. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X WAS CLRED TO CROSS KEANN INTXN AT 11000 FT, 250 KTS. AT 12500 FT ASKED US TO CONFIRM ALT AND CLRNC. WHEN WE TOLD HIM 12500 FT TO CROSS KEANN AT 11000 FT, 250 KTS, HE RESPONDED 'NO, 17' AND THEN RECLRED US TO 12000 FT DUE TO TFC TO OUR L AT 11000 FT. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID AND NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. REST OF FLT WAS ROUTINE. ALL 3 PLTS ARE CONVINCED WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT. WE WERE USING A NEWLY INSTITUTED PROC OF ALT VERIFICATION IN CLRNCS, AND HAD BEEN ALL MONTH. AT THIS POINT, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS DISCREPANCY. THE NORMAL XING ALT IS 17000 FT AT KEANN AND WE THEN ARE ROUTINELY CLRED TO 11000 FT FOR VECTORING TO FINAL APCH. OUR ENTIRE FLT FROM CENTRAL IOWA WAS CHARACTERIZED BY 'MICRO-MGMNT' BY ATC TO FIT US IN WITH OTHER TFC. MANY CHANGES OF HDG, ALT AND AIRSPD, SO THIS CLRNC DID NOT AROUSE THE SUSPICION IT MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE CAUSED IF WE WERE USING A CHARTED ARR.

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.