Narrative:

We were on a flight from chs-dca. Approximately 40 mi south of ric we realized things were pretty quiet on the frequency so we questioned the controller. He said contact the next controller. The center gave us a descent to FL210 from FL240. We were then sent to the next controller who gave us a descent to 10000 ft, with the restr to be at 10000 ft by epics. We were approximately 30 mi from epics. So we expedited our descent. We then were xferred to ric approach. Ric approach gave us a descent to 8000 ft. He said cross epics at 10000 ft and then down to 8000 ft. The first officer was flying and had a 2000+ FPM descent. When we got close to epics he decreased his descent rate to cross epics at 10000 ft. I was getting ATIS at dca and was distraction, but apparently he was at approximately 9800 ft over epics. We didn't realize this until the controller questioned us. I said that I thought we were at epics at 10000 ft and coming down quickly. But after I questioned the first officer, he said he may have been early. The controller didn't have anything more to say. Causes: I was distraction. We were both fatigued from a long day prior and an early show. Also the lack of adequate CRM. We were both unsure if we crossed epics at 10000 ft or if we descended early. There was no traffic conflict. We were confused about our original clearance. We both thought we were to cross epics at or below 10000 ft. Apparently we were mistaken.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DO328 FLC OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AT EPICS INTXN WHILE ON APCH TO DCA, DC.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A FLT FROM CHS-DCA. APPROX 40 MI S OF RIC WE REALIZED THINGS WERE PRETTY QUIET ON THE FREQ SO WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR. HE SAID CONTACT THE NEXT CTLR. THE CTR GAVE US A DSCNT TO FL210 FROM FL240. WE WERE THEN SENT TO THE NEXT CTLR WHO GAVE US A DSCNT TO 10000 FT, WITH THE RESTR TO BE AT 10000 FT BY EPICS. WE WERE APPROX 30 MI FROM EPICS. SO WE EXPEDITED OUR DSCNT. WE THEN WERE XFERRED TO RIC APCH. RIC APCH GAVE US A DSCNT TO 8000 FT. HE SAID CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT AND THEN DOWN TO 8000 FT. THE FO WAS FLYING AND HAD A 2000+ FPM DSCNT. WHEN WE GOT CLOSE TO EPICS HE DECREASED HIS DSCNT RATE TO CROSS EPICS AT 10000 FT. I WAS GETTING ATIS AT DCA AND WAS DISTR, BUT APPARENTLY HE WAS AT APPROX 9800 FT OVER EPICS. WE DIDN'T REALIZE THIS UNTIL THE CTLR QUESTIONED US. I SAID THAT I THOUGHT WE WERE AT EPICS AT 10000 FT AND COMING DOWN QUICKLY. BUT AFTER I QUESTIONED THE FO, HE SAID HE MAY HAVE BEEN EARLY. THE CTLR DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY. CAUSES: I WAS DISTR. WE WERE BOTH FATIGUED FROM A LONG DAY PRIOR AND AN EARLY SHOW. ALSO THE LACK OF ADEQUATE CRM. WE WERE BOTH UNSURE IF WE CROSSED EPICS AT 10000 FT OR IF WE DSNDED EARLY. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. WE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC. WE BOTH THOUGHT WE WERE TO CROSS EPICS AT OR BELOW 10000 FT. APPARENTLY WE WERE MISTAKEN.

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.