An air carrier first officer on an IOE flight reported a hearback readback problem while on approach...

Attributes
ACN	480770
Time
Date	200008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	480770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on vectors for approach into sdf. We received multiple stepdown altitudes. The cockpit was busy because I am new to the airplane and this was my IOE. We were level at 6000 ft and received clearance for lower. Descending through 4000 ft, the controller cleared us to 3500 ft. We had 2000 ft set in the window. The controller later told us we were only cleared to 4000 ft. We either misunderstood, set the wrong altitude or actually were cleared to 2000 ft. In later discussions with the captain, we are both unsure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO ON AN IOE FLT RPTED A HEARBACK READBACK PROB WHILE ON APCH TO SDF.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR APCH INTO SDF. WE RECEIVED MULTIPLE STEPDOWN ALTS. THE COCKPIT WAS BUSY BECAUSE I AM NEW TO THE AIRPLANE AND THIS WAS MY IOE. WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR LOWER. DSNDING THROUGH 4000 FT, THE CTLR CLRED US TO 3500 FT. WE HAD 2000 FT SET IN THE WINDOW. THE CTLR LATER TOLD US WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 4000 FT. WE EITHER MISUNDERSTOOD, SET THE WRONG ALT OR ACTUALLY WERE CLRED TO 2000 FT. IN LATER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CAPT, WE ARE BOTH UNSURE.

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.

An air carrier first officer on an IOE flight reported a hearback readback problem while on approach to sdf.