ZSE ARTCC Controller reported that complacency led to missing an incorrect altitude readback from an aircraft and resulted in said aircraft descending below the MVA.
Synopsis
ZSE ARTCC Controller reported that complacency led to missing an incorrect altitude readback from an aircraft and resulted in said aircraft descending below the MVA.
Narrative
[I] was working R35. Extremely slow day. Before this; I had gone 20 minutes without a plane in the sector. It was split due to a poor management mandate. The sector was unusually much slower than usual due to poor weather; but Management still had it split. This was my second session in a row where they had staffed chairs" affecting a sector I worked. Earlier; they had staffed a high sector I worked simply because it may go "yellow" based on one of their metrics. There was zero complexity or traffic situations and I was assigned a D-side that did more harm than good as they were not paying attention to the sector at all.It was last session of the day. I got really bad news that day outside of work. All combined; I wasn't as focused as I should have been apparently. I descended Aircraft X to 090 and issued direct AWBAN to set up for approach. They hesitated; [and] read back "Down to six; direct AWBAN for Aircraft X." Perhaps it was the alliteration of the callsign with the altitude. Either way; I missed it. Later; they descended through 090; [and] MSAW triggered. I issued a low altitude alert before the altitude even showed below 090; just based off [the] MSAW. They did not respond. I issued another and eventually with hesitation; they did respond.[Recommendations]; none. They gave a poor readback and I missed it."
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.