Flight crew of cpr descended before it was 'time.' excursion from assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	298760
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco tracon : bpt
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	298760
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude 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

Narrative:

We were repositioning our aircraft from orl to mco for maintenance. Approach control vectored us to the north about 15 mi and boxed us around to the west and south for a visual to runway 18R. We were issued a clearance to proceed direct to the VOR, maintain 2500 ft till south of the VOR, cleared for the visual runway 18R. That is what my captain and I both heard and that is what I read back to approach. As we were descending out of 2700 ft approach control called us and stated that we were to maintain 3000 ft till 5 mi north of VOR and cleared the visual runway 18R. That was not the clearance that I heard or that I read back. The frequency was busy and approach control did not pick up on my readback which apparently was in error. I had no reason to suspect a problem because the approach controller did not challenge my readback -- too much traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF CPR DSNDED BEFORE IT WAS 'TIME.' EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE REPOSITIONING OUR ACFT FROM ORL TO MCO FOR MAINT. APCH CTL VECTORED US TO THE N ABOUT 15 MI AND BOXED US AROUND TO THE W AND S FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 18R. WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE VOR, MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL S OF THE VOR, CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 18R. THAT IS WHAT MY CAPT AND I BOTH HEARD AND THAT IS WHAT I READ BACK TO APCH. AS WE WERE DSNDING OUT OF 2700 FT APCH CTL CALLED US AND STATED THAT WE WERE TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT TILL 5 MI N OF VOR AND CLRED THE VISUAL RWY 18R. THAT WAS NOT THE CLRNC THAT I HEARD OR THAT I READ BACK. THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND APCH CTL DID NOT PICK UP ON MY READBACK WHICH APPARENTLY WAS IN ERROR. I HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE APCH CTLR DID NOT CHALLENGE MY READBACK -- TOO MUCH TFC.

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.