A319 flight crew misinterpreted one crossing fix for another, undershot restr.

Attributes
ACN	490350
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : zizzi
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other Other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	490350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	490368
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Given a crossing restr of 18000 ft at zizzi, my readback to controller was to cross bilit at 18000 ft. About 10 mi from zizzi controller questioned if we would make crossing restr at zizzi. I replied that initially I had read back cross bilit at 18000 ft. We crossed zizzi between 18500-19000 ft. Captain at time of initial readback was talking with a flight attendant new to the aircraft about a problem she was having. Still not sure if controller initially said bilit by mistake. Captain heard me repeat bilit to controller. Either way controller did well to question whether we would make restr. That enabled us to clear up the confusion and give him our best descent rate. We also told controller during descent that we felt we wouldn't quite make the restr. He then cleared us to cross ATR at 19000 ft and to contact our next controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLC MISINTERPRETED ONE XING FIX FOR ANOTHER, UNDERSHOT RESTR.

Narrative: GIVEN A XING RESTR OF 18000 FT AT ZIZZI, MY READBACK TO CTLR WAS TO CROSS BILIT AT 18000 FT. ABOUT 10 MI FROM ZIZZI CTLR QUESTIONED IF WE WOULD MAKE XING RESTR AT ZIZZI. I REPLIED THAT INITIALLY I HAD READ BACK CROSS BILIT AT 18000 FT. WE CROSSED ZIZZI BTWN 18500-19000 FT. CAPT AT TIME OF INITIAL READBACK WAS TALKING WITH A FLT ATTENDANT NEW TO THE ACFT ABOUT A PROB SHE WAS HAVING. STILL NOT SURE IF CTLR INITIALLY SAID BILIT BY MISTAKE. CAPT HEARD ME REPEAT BILIT TO CTLR. EITHER WAY CTLR DID WELL TO QUESTION WHETHER WE WOULD MAKE RESTR. THAT ENABLED US TO CLR UP THE CONFUSION AND GIVE HIM OUR BEST DSCNT RATE. WE ALSO TOLD CTLR DURING DSCNT THAT WE FELT WE WOULDN'T QUITE MAKE THE RESTR. HE THEN CLRED US TO CROSS ATR AT 19000 FT AND TO CONTACT OUR NEXT CTLR.

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.