Misinterp of clearance causes aircraft to fly through holding altitude of another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	268471
Time
Date	199404
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	268471
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored for ILS 9L sfb, approach told us to descend to 3000 from our assigned 4000. It was a particularly long vector so I decided to listen to the local am station on the ADF receiver prior to receiving the instruction to descend. We mistakenly believed the controller had said '2000,' and even reported 2000 back to him without a response. Another aircraft reported us flying through their heading pattern although there was no danger of collision at the time. I am almost positive the controller assigned us 2000 ft. But I cannot be sure because I/we were listening to the radio. In the future, I will not be participating in any activities unrelated to flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISINTERP OF CLRNC CAUSES ACFT TO FLY THROUGH HOLDING ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS 9L SFB, APCH TOLD US TO DSND TO 3000 FROM OUR ASSIGNED 4000. IT WAS A PARTICULARLY LONG VECTOR SO I DECIDED TO LISTEN TO THE LCL AM STATION ON THE ADF RECEIVER PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE INSTRUCTION TO DSND. WE MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THE CTLR HAD SAID '2000,' AND EVEN RPTED 2000 BACK TO HIM WITHOUT A RESPONSE. ANOTHER ACFT RPTED US FLYING THROUGH THEIR HDG PATTERN ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DANGER OF COLLISION AT THE TIME. I AM ALMOST POSITIVE THE CTLR ASSIGNED US 2000 FT. BUT I CANNOT BE SURE BECAUSE I/WE WERE LISTENING TO THE RADIO. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN ANY ACTIVITIES UNRELATED TO FLYING.

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.