Narrative:

I was the first officer and PF on air carrier X from new england to pit. At FL280 were experiencing light to moderate chop so we requested and received a clearance to FL310 where flight proceeded normally. Just southwest of hnk VOR on ZNY frequency 132.17 center called our flight and told us to 'descend to FL180.' the captain working the radios repeated, 'descend to 180 air carrier X.' I set FL180 in the altitude alert window and a 1500 FPM descent was begun. Passing FL260 and about 55 DME southwest of hnk on J217 we were told to switch to ZNY on frequency 132.12. Passing about FL257 the captain switched over and checked in with 'air carrier X passing 25.6 for 180.' ZNY came back with, 'air carrier X climb to 260!' passing FL255 I disconnected the autoplt and immediately climbed to FL260. ZNY asked us if we were assigned FL280, and the captain replied, 'negative, we were assigned FL180 by the last controller.' ZNY said, 'ok, maintain FL260.' the captain then asked if there had been a problem and ZNY replied that there was no conflict. Both the captain and I specifically heard and the captain read back our clearance to descend to FL180. Therefore I feel the mistake was made within the ATC system. If the controller mistakenly gave us FL180 when he meant FL280, he should have caught the mistake on our readback of FL180. These checks and balances must be adhered to. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: neither reporter nor PIC have heard anything further from FAA reference this incident. I asked him why flight crew did not question descent to FL180 since they were still a long way from destination. Reporter agrees that they should have asked controller to confirm new altitude. FL280 is normal on that part of route and for transfer to ZOB jurisdiction. Reporter thinks that there often is too much air traffic in system and notes many controller errors in ny and chicago areas. Very often it sounds like trnee controller with instrument controller having to correct errors. A short time after regaining FL260 in this incident the reporter saw crossing traffic at FL250, but had 1000' vertical before losing 5 mi latitude sep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED DESCENT TO FL180 WHEN HE SHE MEANT TO SAY FL280. SET UP POSSIBLE LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS THE F/O AND PF ON ACR X FROM NEW ENGLAND TO PIT. AT FL280 WERE EXPERIENCING LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP SO WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL310 WHERE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. JUST SW OF HNK VOR ON ZNY FREQ 132.17 CENTER CALLED OUR FLT AND TOLD US TO 'DSND TO FL180.' THE CAPT WORKING THE RADIOS REPEATED, 'DSND TO 180 ACR X.' I SET FL180 IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW AND A 1500 FPM DSCNT WAS BEGUN. PASSING FL260 AND ABOUT 55 DME SW OF HNK ON J217 WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO ZNY ON FREQ 132.12. PASSING ABOUT FL257 THE CAPT SWITCHED OVER AND CHKED IN WITH 'ACR X PASSING 25.6 FOR 180.' ZNY CAME BACK WITH, 'ACR X CLB TO 260!' PASSING FL255 I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO FL260. ZNY ASKED US IF WE WERE ASSIGNED FL280, AND THE CAPT REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE, WE WERE ASSIGNED FL180 BY THE LAST CTLR.' ZNY SAID, 'OK, MAINTAIN FL260.' THE CAPT THEN ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROB AND ZNY REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I SPECIFICALLY HEARD AND THE CAPT READ BACK OUR CLRNC TO DSND TO FL180. THEREFORE I FEEL THE MISTAKE WAS MADE WITHIN THE ATC SYS. IF THE CTLR MISTAKENLY GAVE US FL180 WHEN HE MEANT FL280, HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE MISTAKE ON OUR READBACK OF FL180. THESE CHKS AND BALANCES MUST BE ADHERED TO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NEITHER RPTR NOR PIC HAVE HEARD ANYTHING FURTHER FROM FAA REF THIS INCIDENT. I ASKED HIM WHY FLT CREW DID NOT QUESTION DSCNT TO FL180 SINCE THEY WERE STILL A LONG WAY FROM DEST. RPTR AGREES THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE ASKED CTLR TO CONFIRM NEW ALT. FL280 IS NORMAL ON THAT PART OF ROUTE AND FOR TRANSFER TO ZOB JURISDICTION. RPTR THINKS THAT THERE OFTEN IS TOO MUCH AIR TFC IN SYS AND NOTES MANY CTLR ERRORS IN NY AND CHICAGO AREAS. VERY OFTEN IT SOUNDS LIKE TRNEE CTLR WITH INSTR CTLR HAVING TO CORRECT ERRORS. A SHORT TIME AFTER REGAINING FL260 IN THIS INCIDENT THE RPTR SAW XING TFC AT FL250, BUT HAD 1000' VERT BEFORE LOSING 5 MI LAT SEP.

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.