Narrative:

Arriving atl on the sinca arrival, talking to a very busy approach controller, we passed canuk at FL120 and 250 KTS. I was on another radio, getting the gate assignment, and did not actually hear the descent clearance--but was back on frequency in time to hear the first officer readback a turn to the north and a descent to 4000'. The controller did not respond to us, but started talking to another aircraft. Out of 4500' for 4000', the controller asked our altitude--then told us we had been cleared to 5000', but that it was no problem and for us to maintain 4000'. We then were given a clearance to 3000' (we both heard this one), and we read back 3000'. As we leveled at 3000', the controller told us ewe had been cleared to 3500'. We climbed back to 3500' and were then cleared for a visibility approach. I talked to approach control about this incident after landing, I was told that we must have misunderstood our clearance to 8000'. (This is not the altitude the controller told us we had been cleared to!) the approach control supervisor said there were no conflicts or problems, and they would just like to forget about it, and that we would not hear anything more about it. I think this was a clear case of 'controller overload.' whether or not we misunderstood our clearance, I do not know. However, it is very apparent to me that the controller did not have, or was not taking the time to listen to our clearance readbacks. The approach control supervisor said he had listened to the tapes, and the impression I got was that he was just as happy to forget this one as I was.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG HAD TROUBLE WITH ATL APCH CTLR. TWICE THE ALT RECEIVED WAS NOT THE ALT THE CTLR INTENDED.

Narrative: ARRIVING ATL ON THE SINCA ARR, TALKING TO A VERY BUSY APCH CTLR, WE PASSED CANUK AT FL120 AND 250 KTS. I WAS ON ANOTHER RADIO, GETTING THE GATE ASSIGNMENT, AND DID NOT ACTUALLY HEAR THE DSCNT CLRNC--BUT WAS BACK ON FREQ IN TIME TO HEAR THE F/O READBACK A TURN TO THE N AND A DSCNT TO 4000'. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO US, BUT STARTED TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT. OUT OF 4500' FOR 4000', THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT--THEN TOLD US WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000', BUT THAT IT WAS NO PROB AND FOR US TO MAINTAIN 4000'. WE THEN WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 3000' (WE BOTH HEARD THIS ONE), AND WE READ BACK 3000'. AS WE LEVELED AT 3000', THE CTLR TOLD US EWE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 3500'. WE CLBED BACK TO 3500' AND WERE THEN CLRED FOR A VIS APCH. I TALKED TO APCH CTL ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AFTER LNDG, I WAS TOLD THAT WE MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR CLRNC TO 8000'. (THIS IS NOT THE ALT THE CTLR TOLD US WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO!) THE APCH CTL SUPVR SAID THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS OR PROBS, AND THEY WOULD JUST LIKE TO FORGET ABOUT IT, AND THAT WE WOULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT. I THINK THIS WAS A CLEAR CASE OF 'CTLR OVERLOAD.' WHETHER OR NOT WE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR CLRNC, I DO NOT KNOW. HOWEVER, IT IS VERY APPARENT TO ME THAT THE CTLR DID NOT HAVE, OR WAS NOT TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO OUR CLRNC READBACKS. THE APCH CTL SUPVR SAID HE HAD LISTENED TO THE TAPES, AND THE IMPRESSION I GOT WAS THAT HE WAS JUST AS HAPPY TO FORGET THIS ONE AS I WAS.

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.