Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Weather; Human Factors
We were cleared to Denver via the TELLR arrival. We were instructed to maintain 280 KTS or greater and descend and maintain FL270. We were then cleared direct CREDE. While I read back the clearance; the First Officer (pilot flying) set FL190 in the altitude pre-select and stated 'flight level 190'. I hesitated because I wasn't sure why he had set this; however; I looked at the MFD and noted that CREDE had a FL190A restriction. I then confirmed the selection. Subsequently; we checked in with a new Controller. After giving us some instructions; he stated: 'it's not really a problem right now but you should not be descending via the arrival.' I queried the First Officer and we both agreed that the previous Controller had given us a descend via clearance. I said this to the Controller and he said that they would look into it. After arrival at the gate; the First Officer and I reviewed the sequence of events and realized that we could not remember receiving a descend via clearance. We could remember only the cleared via clearance. I contacted DEN clearance and requested a phone number for Denver Center. I then called the Operations Manager at DEN Center. Manager stated that they were not aware of any event; however; they would research the matter and call me back. Later; Manager called and told me that they had reviewed the tapes and it was clear that we had not received the descend via clearance. I thanked the Manager for the information and let them know that the First Officer and I would conduct a thorough de-brief. Manager stated that there was no traffic in the area and that there was 'no harm; no foul'. The First Officer and I then de-briefed; focusing on the mistakes that we had made and the best way to prevent a recurrence.When the First Officer set FL190 in the altitude pre-select; it was my job to confirm the accuracy of this selection. Initially; I felt uncertain; however; I decided that this was because I had not specifically received and read back an assignment to FL190. When I saw the published restriction on the MFD; I decided the selection was correct. At this point; I believed erroneously that we had been cleared to descend via the arrival. Multiple distractions contributed to this error. We had been deviating for thunderstorms; the arrival had been changed; we had been re-cleared multiple times too different fixes on the arrival; and I had been communicating to the flight attendant and passengers about possible turbulence during the descent. I did a poor job of monitoring the altitude pre-select. My initial uncertainty about the FL190 setting was a red flag. I should have expressed my uncertainty to the First Officer and confirmed the clearance with ATC. In the future; I will not hesitate to obtain confirmation whenever either crew member is even slightly unsure.
CRJ-200 Captain describes an altitude deviation caused by a misunderstood arrival clearance. The clearance was via the TELLR arrival and to maintain 280 KTS or greater and descend and maintain FL270. This is interpreted by the First Officer as a descend via clearance.