ZBW Center Controller reported they transposed digits in an approach clearance and descended an aircraft to an altitude below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.
Synopsis
ZBW Center Controller reported they transposed digits in an approach clearance and descended an aircraft to an altitude below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.
Narrative
I cleared Aircraft X for the RNAV 18 approach into BML. As I was issuing the approach clearance; I noticed a SPCI WX observation at the field; so I combined his approach clearance along with reading him the WX at the field. Instead of giving him a crossing restriction of 063 over ELSEQ; I said cross ELSEQ at 036 cleared approach. The pilot (after reviewing the falcon and voice) read back the 036 over ELSEQ. I did not catch only my transposing of the altitudes on the initial Clearance; nor did I catch the readback. About 2 min later I saw the aircraft descending through 058 and corrected the issue. I climbed him back up to 063 and reissued the correct restriction over ELSEQ. At the time; the sector was very busy. I had asked for a D-side several times; unfortunately we did not have someone to come back immediately. There was not only a lot of traffic volume but also a lot of phone calls from FD (Flight Data) for clearance requests. I thought I had said 063; and I thought I heard 063. There was an expectation bias on my part about what I wanted to happen and what happened in reality. Being busy probably did not help the situation however in the end I just made a mistake.Recommendation: The only thing that could have prevented this; as it was human error; would have been for my D-side to have caught the read back or myself at the time of the initial clearance and corrected it right away.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.