Date: 201606
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZME.ARTCC, TN
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class A ZME
ATC / advisory: Center ZME
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Workload
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: While descending to our destination; we were given an initial descent to FL340. Just prior to level off we were given FL330 to which the first officer dialed in FL330 on the Altitude alerter and read back 330 to the controller. Prior to reaching FL330 we were given further descent to FL240 and continued to descend per instruction. Prior to hand off from MEM center we were told to contact MEM center by phone upon landing and we complied as instructed. Upon hearing the report given to us we (the crew) discussed the events of the descent and neither of us recalled hearing the call out of crossing traffic at FL330 but the first officer thought he heard for us to continue our descent to FL330 and read back 330 and we continued as stated above. The controller never advised of any deviation to a given clearance nor did we receive any TCAS alerts or warnings of traffic. We were unaware of any deviations on our part it was as we thought a normal descent per instructions by ATC.


Second narrative: On a routine flight; we were descending from FL400 with an ATC clearance to FL340. We were using COMM 2 for ATC communications. As the Pilot Not flying (PNF); I tuned the destination ATIS on COMM 1 and began copying current ATIS; while continuing to listen on COMM 2 for any ATC transmissions. As I was copying; I heard our tail number come through on a muffled transmission from COMM 2 with the transmission ending with 'FL330' I immediately punched audio on COMM 1 off in order to better hear the controller on COMM 2. I dialed the Altitude Alerter down to FL330 and read back 'FL 330'; since I believed we were issued a descent clearance to FL330. The Pilot Flying (PF); continued to descend toward the lower altitude. We next received a descent clearance down to FL240; and we continued the descent; unaware of any altitude deviation or possible conflict.We were unaware; at that time; that the controller had issued us a traffic advisory with traffic at FL330; instead of what I believed was a descent clearance to FL330.To prevent future misunderstanding over any ATC transmission or clearance; pilots should not attempt to listen to ATIS on one COMM radio while monitoring ATC on another COMM. PNF should advise PF that he is going off of that COMM and check back with him when he is back.


Synopsis: A corporate flight crew received an ATC alert about traffic at FL330 as they descended to FL340. While listening to destination ATIS; the First Officer mistook the FL330 as their clearance and because he put it the ALTITUDE window; the pilot flying continued to FL330 in error.