Cleared FL220, thought cleared FL210.

Attributes
ACN	98526
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	98526
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Given a clearance and read back--cross 95 NM southeast buf at 21000'. Next controller asks what our clearance was. I repeated as above. Then questioned the controller to find out why his concern. I asked if that was the clearance he understood? He said no. It was 90 southeast bus at 22000'. I advised we were given, and read back 95 southeast buf at 26000'. He said there is no problem. I don't believe there was any other traffic in the area. Problem/south--and it is happening every day. Reading back a clearance to a controller (or a frequency) does no good, because, even though you read it back wrong--it does not get caught.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEARED FL220, THOUGHT CLEARED FL210.

Narrative: GIVEN A CLRNC AND READ BACK--CROSS 95 NM SE BUF AT 21000'. NEXT CTLR ASKS WHAT OUR CLRNC WAS. I REPEATED AS ABOVE. THEN QUESTIONED THE CTLR TO FIND OUT WHY HIS CONCERN. I ASKED IF THAT WAS THE CLRNC HE UNDERSTOOD? HE SAID NO. IT WAS 90 SE BUS AT 22000'. I ADVISED WE WERE GIVEN, AND READ BACK 95 SE BUF AT 26000'. HE SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. PROBLEM/S--AND IT IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY. READING BACK A CLRNC TO A CTLR (OR A FREQUENCY) DOES NO GOOD, BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH YOU READ IT BACK WRONG--IT DOES NOT GET CAUGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.