Flight crew of an MD88 overshot assigned descent altitude.

Attributes
ACN	435445
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : eca.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : mod.mod2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10100 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	435445
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	435580
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to cross cedes intersection at 11000 ft MSL (no speed restr). Prior to reaching cedes, we were handed off to sfo bay approach. He then cleared us to fly a heading to join the sfo 095 degree radial inbound and descend to 9000 ft MSL. First officer read back the heading, radial and 9000 ft MSL altitude. Passing through 9700 ft MSL, the controller stated that, while it had not caused a problem or conflict, he showed our last altitude clearance to be 11000 ft MSL. He then told us to maintain 10000 ft MSL. As PF, I cannot (now) distinctly remember hearing the clearance given to 9000 ft MSL, but I can absolutely remember my first officer reading back the 9000 ft clearance that he claims to have received. In retrospect, I've never been cleared to any other altitude other than either 7000 ft MSL or 11000 ft MSL on previous approachs into this airport in this vicinity, so that might have been a tip-off (had I thought of it at the time). Controller should have queried/caught the bad readback by my first officer if we were not cleared to 9000 ft MSL by him initially. Also, giving a heading, radial and altitude on initial call-up is confusing -- lends itself to missing one or more on either controller's part and/or crew's during issuance and readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED DSCNT ALT.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS CEDES INTXN AT 11000 FT MSL (NO SPD RESTR). PRIOR TO REACHING CEDES, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO SFO BAY APCH. HE THEN CLRED US TO FLY A HDG TO JOIN THE SFO 095 DEG RADIAL INBOUND AND DSND TO 9000 FT MSL. FO READ BACK THE HDG, RADIAL AND 9000 FT MSL ALT. PASSING THROUGH 9700 FT MSL, THE CTLR STATED THAT, WHILE IT HAD NOT CAUSED A PROB OR CONFLICT, HE SHOWED OUR LAST ALT CLRNC TO BE 11000 FT MSL. HE THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT MSL. AS PF, I CANNOT (NOW) DISTINCTLY REMEMBER HEARING THE CLRNC GIVEN TO 9000 FT MSL, BUT I CAN ABSOLUTELY REMEMBER MY FO READING BACK THE 9000 FT CLRNC THAT HE CLAIMS TO HAVE RECEIVED. IN RETROSPECT, I'VE NEVER BEEN CLRED TO ANY OTHER ALT OTHER THAN EITHER 7000 FT MSL OR 11000 FT MSL ON PREVIOUS APCHS INTO THIS ARPT IN THIS VICINITY, SO THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A TIP-OFF (HAD I THOUGHT OF IT AT THE TIME). CTLR SHOULD HAVE QUERIED/CAUGHT THE BAD READBACK BY MY FO IF WE WERE NOT CLRED TO 9000 FT MSL BY HIM INITIALLY. ALSO, GIVING A HDG, RADIAL AND ALT ON INITIAL CALL-UP IS CONFUSING -- LENDS ITSELF TO MISSING ONE OR MORE ON EITHER CTLR'S PART AND/OR CREW'S DURING ISSUANCE AND 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.