Controller thought aircraft at wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	118916
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ard
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 61 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	118916
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were with ZDC. Passing ard VOR, we were cleared from 11,000' to 9000'. About 10 NM northeast of ard VOR, controller suddenly asked, 'who cleared you to 9000'. You are supposed to be at 11,000'. I then came on and said 'I want you to mark the tape and I want the name of the controller!' then another voice came on and said, 'no problem air carrier X. You are at the right altitude. I had a trainee on and he was mistaken. If you don't have a problem, I don't.' I said that I didn't have a problem as long as we were at the correct altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR THOUGHT ACFT AT WRONG ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE WITH ZDC. PASSING ARD VOR, WE WERE CLRED FROM 11,000' TO 9000'. ABOUT 10 NM NE OF ARD VOR, CTLR SUDDENLY ASKED, 'WHO CLRED YOU TO 9000'. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 11,000'. I THEN CAME ON AND SAID 'I WANT YOU TO MARK THE TAPE AND I WANT THE NAME OF THE CTLR!' THEN ANOTHER VOICE CAME ON AND SAID, 'NO PROBLEM ACR X. YOU ARE AT THE RIGHT ALT. I HAD A TRAINEE ON AND HE WAS MISTAKEN. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, I DON'T.' I SAID THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM AS LONG AS WE WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT.

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.