Flight crew overshot altitude on descent due to misunderstanding of the clearance.

Attributes
ACN	294289
Time
Date	199501
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mrb airport : iad
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9300 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v143
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	294289
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
ASRS Report	294193
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to 9000 ft. I was PF. PNF was on communication #2 getting gate information from company. During this time we were given holding instructions at robert intersection, and told to be through 10000 ft in 2 mins. I read back the clearance. At 9300 ft the controller asked us our altitude and told us to climb back to 10000 ft, fly heading 320 degrees to enter the hold. Original clearance was to descend to 9000 ft prior to receiving holding instructions. At the time this occurred the controller was very busy giving holding instructions to inbound dulles traffic and may have misunderstood our readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OVERSHOT ALT ON DSCNT DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO 9000 FT. I WAS PF. PNF WAS ON COM #2 GETTING GATE INFO FROM COMPANY. DURING THIS TIME WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT ROBERT INTXN, AND TOLD TO BE THROUGH 10000 FT IN 2 MINS. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. AT 9300 FT THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT AND TOLD US TO CLB BACK TO 10000 FT, FLY HDG 320 DEGS TO ENTER THE HOLD. ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS TO DSND TO 9000 FT PRIOR TO RECEIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY GIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO INBOUND DULLES TFC AND MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR READBACK.

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.