Air carrier X altitude deviation. Non adherence to ATC clearance. Descent to wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	293777
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tys
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zme
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	293777
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X at flight level we were cleared to 10000 ft. The copilot who was flying at the time rogered and set 10000 ft in the altitude alerter when we vacated our cruise altitude I told center that were leaving flight level for 10000 ft. I do not remember if he acknowledged that or not. When the controller next spoke to us he asked us what altitude we were at, and I said 10000FT, and that was what I had told him we were going to. He said that we were supposed to be at 11000 ft, and to contact tys approach at that time. We were never aware of any other traffic or any other possible conflicts. We continued on to tys for an uneventful landing. I was very tired at the time, as I had flown all night. My duty had started about XX00 the night before and this was my 3RD leg of the night. I know our tiredness contributed to this and we probably weren't as alert and listening as when we are fresh. However 2 times we told the controller that we were going to 10000 ft and he did not correct us. I imagine he was probably as tired as we were, because we had been at 10000 for some time before he noticed us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ALTDEV. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC. DSCNT TO WRONG ALT.

Narrative: ACR X AT FLT LEVEL WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT. THE COPLT WHO WAS FLYING AT THE TIME ROGERED AND SET 10000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER WHEN WE VACATED OUR CRUISE ALT I TOLD CTR THAT WERE LEAVING FLT LEVEL FOR 10000 FT. I DO NOT REMEMBER IF HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OR NOT. WHEN THE CTLR NEXT SPOKE TO US HE ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE AT, AND I SAID 10000FT, AND THAT WAS WHAT I HAD TOLD HIM WE WERE GOING TO. HE SAID THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 11000 FT, AND TO CONTACT TYS APCH AT THAT TIME. WE WERE NEVER AWARE OF ANY OTHER TFC OR ANY OTHER POSSIBLE CONFLICTS. WE CONTINUED ON TO TYS FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I WAS VERY TIRED AT THE TIME, AS I HAD FLOWN ALL NIGHT. MY DUTY HAD STARTED ABOUT XX00 THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THIS WAS MY 3RD LEG OF THE NIGHT. I KNOW OUR TIREDNESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS AND WE PROBABLY WEREN'T AS ALERT AND LISTENING AS WHEN WE ARE FRESH. HOWEVER 2 TIMES WE TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE WERE GOING TO 10000 FT AND HE DID NOT CORRECT US. I IMAGINE HE WAS PROBABLY AS TIRED AS WE WERE, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN AT 10000 FOR SOME TIME BEFORE HE NOTICED US.

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.