Narrative:

While en route to dia from the west, center advised us to descend to FL290 and cross 17 NM from den at 17000 ft. We established a cruise descent from FL330 to FL290. We maintained FL290 until approximately 50-55 NM from den to comply with restr. As descent was initiated, center queried as to our altitude, and said the restr was to cross 55 mi from den at 17000 ft. We told center that we had read back the 17000 ft at 17 NM restr and it was accepted by the controller. Both captain and first officer believe that they had received the 17000 ft at 17 NM restr and also that the readback to ATC of this had gone unchallenged. I believe the only way to prevent this type first officer occurrence is to enforce both the pilots' and the controllers' need to listen to readbacks. If not, they are totally ineffectual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC AND FAILS TO MEET XING RESTR DURING DSCNT IN ZDV AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO DIA FROM THE W, CTR ADVISED US TO DSND TO FL290 AND CROSS 17 NM FROM DEN AT 17000 FT. WE ESTABLISHED A CRUISE DSCNT FROM FL330 TO FL290. WE MAINTAINED FL290 UNTIL APPROX 50-55 NM FROM DEN TO COMPLY WITH RESTR. AS DSCNT WAS INITIATED, CTR QUERIED AS TO OUR ALT, AND SAID THE RESTR WAS TO CROSS 55 MI FROM DEN AT 17000 FT. WE TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD READ BACK THE 17000 FT AT 17 NM RESTR AND IT WAS ACCEPTED BY THE CTLR. BOTH CAPT AND FO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED THE 17000 FT AT 17 NM RESTR AND ALSO THAT THE READBACK TO ATC OF THIS HAD GONE UNCHALLENGED. I BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS TYPE FO OCCURRENCE IS TO ENFORCE BOTH THE PLTS' AND THE CTLRS' NEED TO LISTEN TO READBACKS. IF NOT, THEY ARE TOTALLY INEFFECTUAL.

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.