Air carrier X descent through assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	148571
Time
Date	199006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sdz
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	148571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was PF at time air carrier X proceeding from atl-rdu on arrival routing to rdu. Given clearance by ATC to descend to 21000' at jenni intersection by atlanta center. Passed to washington center just short of tenni. Washington advised to turn right heading 080 degree, descend to 12000' and slow to 250 KIAS for intrail spacing. Immediately after that clearance, another controller told us to maintain FL200. We did. First controller then gave us a descent clearance to 16000'. We were then told to turn left direct sand hills VOR (about 340 degrees by this time). While in the turn, second controller asked our altitude (17000') and told us to expedite our descent (already 3000 FPM). He asked repeatedly for our altitude and descent rate and then gave us consecutive headings of 270 degrees, 250 degrees, and right to 030 degrees to fly to sand hills. We were then informed that at xx:00Z we might have been involved in an altitude deviation and that 'training was in progress' at washington center. We were told that we had been cleared to FL180, but not when nor where and we never acknowledged such a clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DESCENT THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS PF AT TIME ACR X PROCEEDING FROM ATL-RDU ON ARR RTING TO RDU. GIVEN CLRNC BY ATC TO DSND TO 21000' AT JENNI INTXN BY ATLANTA CTR. PASSED TO WASHINGTON CTR JUST SHORT OF TENNI. WASHINGTON ADVISED TO TURN R HDG 080 DEG, DSND TO 12000' AND SLOW TO 250 KIAS FOR INTRAIL SPACING. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT CLRNC, ANOTHER CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL200. WE DID. FIRST CTLR THEN GAVE US A DSNT CLRNC TO 16000'. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO TURN L DIRECT SAND HILLS VOR (ABOUT 340 DEGS BY THIS TIME). WHILE IN THE TURN, SECOND CTLR ASKED OUR ALT (17000') AND TOLD US TO EXPEDITE OUR DSNT (ALREADY 3000 FPM). HE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR OUR ALT AND DSNT RATE AND THEN GAVE US CONSECUTIVE HDGS OF 270 DEGS, 250 DEGS, AND R TO 030 DEGS TO FLY TO SAND HILLS. WE WERE THEN INFORMED THAT AT XX:00Z WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ALT DEV AND THAT 'TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS' AT WASHINGTON CTR. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL180, BUT NOT WHEN NOR WHERE AND WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED SUCH A CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.