Narrative:

First officer was PF. I was PIC on from syr to pit. Approaching bradford VOR at 22000' I picked up the cabin P/a and began making the arrival announcement to the passenger. At this time the first officer said ATC cleared xyz to FL180. He picked up the radio and confirmed xyz cleared down to FL180. He then reset the altitude alert system to FL180. He listened for a reply and when none came he started a descent from FL220. I finished the announcement and the first officer said we had been cleared down to FL180. At 21600' the controller said 'xyz maintain FL220,' then asked in rapid succession twice if we had been cleared to FL200. At that time the first officer started the aircraft back to FL220 and when at approximately 200'. From FL220 the controller said again in rapid succession, 'xyz maintain FL200, turn left to 090 degrees, turn immediately to 090 degrees, maintain FL200.' at this point I took control of the aircraft and banked 45 degrees toward a heading of 090 and descended to FL200. As we leveled at FL200 the controller said, 'xyz, maintain FL220,' but due to the rapid rate of descent I used to comply with his previous request it was too late to comply with his more recent request. At that point the controller began vectoring another aircraft. All of the xmissions came rapidly with no time for us to break in and confirm anything. When the controller stopped vectoring the other aircraft the first officer told him we were heading 090 degrees at FL200 and that he had received clearance initially to FL180. Controller then said it was supposed to be a 180 degree heading. He then informed us there may have been a sep problem and cleared us to the next frequency. No further difficulties were encountered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW AT FL220 READ BACK CLRNC TO FL180. DESCENDING CENTER ADVISED MAINTAIN FL220. FO FLYING STARTED BACK TO FL220. CENTER CTLR ADVISED MAINTAIN FL200, TURN LEFT TO 090 DEGREES. CAPT TOOK OVER TURNING & LEVELING. AT THIS POINT CENTER CTLR SAID MAINTAIN FL220. TOO LATE FOR THIS AND CTLR STARTED VECTORING ANOTHER ACFT. WHEN ALL HAD SETTLED DOWN, CTLR ADVISED CLRNC HAD BEEN TO A HEADING OF 180 DEGREES, NOT FL180, AND LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION HAD OCCURRED.

Narrative: F/O WAS PF. I WAS PIC ON FROM SYR TO PIT. APCHING BRADFORD VOR AT 22000' I PICKED UP THE CABIN P/A AND BEGAN MAKING THE ARRIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX. AT THIS TIME THE F/O SAID ATC CLRED XYZ TO FL180. HE PICKED UP THE RADIO AND CONFIRMED XYZ CLRED DOWN TO FL180. HE THEN RESET THE ALT ALERT SYS TO FL180. HE LISTENED FOR A REPLY AND WHEN NONE CAME HE STARTED A DSCNT FROM FL220. I FINISHED THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE F/O SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED DOWN TO FL180. AT 21600' THE CTLR SAID 'XYZ MAINTAIN FL220,' THEN ASKED IN RAPID SUCCESSION TWICE IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL200. AT THAT TIME THE F/O STARTED THE ACFT BACK TO FL220 AND WHEN AT APPROX 200'. FROM FL220 THE CTLR SAID AGAIN IN RAPID SUCCESSION, 'XYZ MAINTAIN FL200, TURN LEFT TO 090 DEGS, TURN IMMEDIATELY TO 090 DEGS, MAINTAIN FL200.' AT THIS POINT I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND BANKED 45 DEGS TOWARD A HDG OF 090 AND DSNDED TO FL200. AS WE LEVELED AT FL200 THE CTLR SAID, 'XYZ, MAINTAIN FL220,' BUT DUE TO THE RAPID RATE OF DSCNT I USED TO COMPLY WITH HIS PREVIOUS REQUEST IT WAS TOO LATE TO COMPLY WITH HIS MORE RECENT REQUEST. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR BEGAN VECTORING ANOTHER ACFT. ALL OF THE XMISSIONS CAME RAPIDLY WITH NO TIME FOR US TO BREAK IN AND CONFIRM ANYTHING. WHEN THE CTLR STOPPED VECTORING THE OTHER ACFT THE F/O TOLD HIM WE WERE HDG 090 DEGS AT FL200 AND THAT HE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC INITIALLY TO FL180. CTLR THEN SAID IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A 180 DEG HDG. HE THEN INFORMED US THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SEP PROB AND CLRED US TO THE NEXT FREQ. NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED.

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.