Narrative:

Altitude deviation. I was the PNF and was using ACARS to contact dispatch to clarify a NOTAM/approach fix question regarding a holding fix change on missed approach -- NOTAM spelled fix bethy/approach plate spelled bathy. Flight attendants called in the midst of the approach briefing requesting: 1) inbound gate information, 2) temperature complaint in the back, and 3) connecting information. ATC (ZID) was giving us multiple speed, altitude, and heading changes. Somehow 'cross jounn at 350 KTS' was translated by us to 'cross jounn at FL250.' we, as a crew, are conscientious about verifying the altitude window setting but somehow managed to miss it this time. Distrs were obviously a factor but flight attendants or dispatch should not distract a pilot from flying first. Supplemental information from acn 596996: flight ZZZ to cvg, IFR flight plan. Arrival to cvg with ZID multiple radar vectors given and altitude changes to slow and sequence traffic to cvg. In preparation for approach NOTAM review brought discrepancy to our attention and we were talking with dispatcher to confirm NOTAM. Also, flight attendants rang (called) the cockpit 3 times with requests for gates, temperature and other requests. All this at the same time we were being given altitude and airspeed changes and restrs. Cockpit was busy but procedures were being used and followed. At 20 NM northwest of jounn intersection, ATC gave what I heard was altitude change to FL250. (We were presently at FL290.) I heard controller say 'two, five, zero' -- indicating altitude change as opposed to two hundred and fifty (indicating speed change). Captain (PNF) was very busy with other distrs and still operating radios. I do not recall his readback. Captain remembers reading back 'two hundred fifty.' in the midst of all that was going on, our verification was not accomplished. We descended to cross jounn at FL250.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW HAD AN ALTDEV IN ZID CLASS A AIRSPACE. THE CTLR SLOWED THE ACFT TO 250 KTS. IN RESPONSE, THE CREW DSNDED TO FL250.

Narrative: ALTDEV. I WAS THE PNF AND WAS USING ACARS TO CONTACT DISPATCH TO CLARIFY A NOTAM/APCH FIX QUESTION REGARDING A HOLDING FIX CHANGE ON MISSED APCH -- NOTAM SPELLED FIX BETHY/APCH PLATE SPELLED BATHY. FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED IN THE MIDST OF THE APCH BRIEFING REQUESTING: 1) INBOUND GATE INFO, 2) TEMP COMPLAINT IN THE BACK, AND 3) CONNECTING INFO. ATC (ZID) WAS GIVING US MULTIPLE SPD, ALT, AND HDG CHANGES. SOMEHOW 'CROSS JOUNN AT 350 KTS' WAS TRANSLATED BY US TO 'CROSS JOUNN AT FL250.' WE, AS A CREW, ARE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT VERIFYING THE ALT WINDOW SETTING BUT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO MISS IT THIS TIME. DISTRS WERE OBVIOUSLY A FACTOR BUT FLT ATTENDANTS OR DISPATCH SHOULD NOT DISTRACT A PLT FROM FLYING FIRST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 596996: FLT ZZZ TO CVG, IFR FLT PLAN. ARR TO CVG WITH ZID MULTIPLE RADAR VECTORS GIVEN AND ALT CHANGES TO SLOW AND SEQUENCE TFC TO CVG. IN PREPARATION FOR APCH NOTAM REVIEW BROUGHT DISCREPANCY TO OUR ATTN AND WE WERE TALKING WITH DISPATCHER TO CONFIRM NOTAM. ALSO, FLT ATTENDANTS RANG (CALLED) THE COCKPIT 3 TIMES WITH REQUESTS FOR GATES, TEMP AND OTHER REQUESTS. ALL THIS AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE BEING GIVEN ALT AND AIRSPD CHANGES AND RESTRS. COCKPIT WAS BUSY BUT PROCS WERE BEING USED AND FOLLOWED. AT 20 NM NW OF JOUNN INTXN, ATC GAVE WHAT I HEARD WAS ALT CHANGE TO FL250. (WE WERE PRESENTLY AT FL290.) I HEARD CTLR SAY 'TWO, FIVE, ZERO' -- INDICATING ALT CHANGE AS OPPOSED TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY (INDICATING SPD CHANGE). CAPT (PNF) WAS VERY BUSY WITH OTHER DISTRS AND STILL OPERATING RADIOS. I DO NOT RECALL HIS READBACK. CAPT REMEMBERS READING BACK 'TWO HUNDRED FIFTY.' IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT WAS GOING ON, OUR VERIFICATION WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. WE DSNDED TO CROSS JOUNN AT FL250.

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.