Narrative:

We were operating from shanghi's pudong airport to anc airport. About 150 mi from anc VOR, the zan controller gave us a clearance to descend to 10000 ft pilot's discretion, cross amott at 12000 ft. I read back the clearance incorrectly and she had to repeat the instructions. My readback was correct. During descent, we ended up at 11000 ft about 20 mi prior to amott. Realizing our mistake, we called center and told them our altitude. Center replied she was watching us and the altitude restr at amott was for terrain clearance. We were crossing a mountain range in VMC day conditions so there was no problem, but if this had taken place at night or IMC, we might not have had required separation. I feel fatigue played an important role in this problem. Although I understood and read back the clearance several mins earlier, I failed to recognize the clearance limit on the descent. The entire crew was up early that morning and we all failed to get in a good nap before leaving the hotel. In addition, the flight was delayed about 2 1/2 hours due to being late inbound. In all, by the time we finally got to our destination, we had been up about 24 hours straight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: XING RESTR NOT MET BY AN OVERSHOOT OF ALT ON DSCNT IN AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN. ERROR OBSERVED BUT NOT CORRECTED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING FROM SHANGHI'S PUDONG ARPT TO ANC ARPT. ABOUT 150 MI FROM ANC VOR, THE ZAN CTLR GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO 10000 FT PLT'S DISCRETION, CROSS AMOTT AT 12000 FT. I READ BACK THE CLRNC INCORRECTLY AND SHE HAD TO REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS. MY READBACK WAS CORRECT. DURING DSCNT, WE ENDED UP AT 11000 FT ABOUT 20 MI PRIOR TO AMOTT. REALIZING OUR MISTAKE, WE CALLED CTR AND TOLD THEM OUR ALT. CTR REPLIED SHE WAS WATCHING US AND THE ALT RESTR AT AMOTT WAS FOR TERRAIN CLRNC. WE WERE XING A MOUNTAIN RANGE IN VMC DAY CONDITIONS SO THERE WAS NO PROB, BUT IF THIS HAD TAKEN PLACE AT NIGHT OR IMC, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD REQUIRED SEPARATION. I FEEL FATIGUE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS PROB. ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTOOD AND READ BACK THE CLRNC SEVERAL MINS EARLIER, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE CLRNC LIMIT ON THE DSCNT. THE ENTIRE CREW WAS UP EARLY THAT MORNING AND WE ALL FAILED TO GET IN A GOOD NAP BEFORE LEAVING THE HOTEL. IN ADDITION, THE FLT WAS DELAYED ABOUT 2 1/2 HRS DUE TO BEING LATE INBOUND. IN ALL, BY THE TIME WE FINALLY GOT TO OUR DEST, WE HAD BEEN UP ABOUT 24 HRS STRAIGHT.

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.