Widebody transport cleared to descend, then told they were at wrong altitude and to climb.

Attributes
ACN	160940
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : scy
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	160940
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Started in mid-20's, controller having problem getting us down on the scurry arrival. Landing dfw we were given expedite to 15000'. Idle and speed brakes were started down. Controller commanded early level off (unreadable). We asked for repeat. He said, 'maintain FL200.' we repeated, 'roger, FL200.' approaching FL200 (20400') controller asked, 'say your altitude.' we told him leveling at FL200. Controller said, 'I told you FL210! Climb immediately to FL210.' we returned to FL210. Note: the tapes on this incident have been pulled. I was told by the ZFW supervisor that the controller's repeat altitude to us was FL200, and that this was found to be a system error and that it should be a closed issue, as far as the flight crew is concerned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CLEARED TO DESCEND, THEN TOLD THEY WERE AT WRONG ALT AND TO CLIMB.

Narrative: STARTED IN MID-20'S, CTLR HAVING PROB GETTING US DOWN ON THE SCURRY ARR. LNDG DFW WE WERE GIVEN EXPEDITE TO 15000'. IDLE AND SPD BRAKES WERE STARTED DOWN. CTLR COMMANDED EARLY LEVEL OFF (UNREADABLE). WE ASKED FOR REPEAT. HE SAID, 'MAINTAIN FL200.' WE REPEATED, 'ROGER, FL200.' APCHING FL200 (20400') CTLR ASKED, 'SAY YOUR ALT.' WE TOLD HIM LEVELING AT FL200. CTLR SAID, 'I TOLD YOU FL210! CLB IMMEDIATELY TO FL210.' WE RETURNED TO FL210. NOTE: THE TAPES ON THIS INCIDENT HAVE BEEN PULLED. I WAS TOLD BY THE ZFW SUPVR THAT THE CTLR'S REPEAT ALT TO US WAS FL200, AND THAT THIS WAS FOUND TO BE A SYS ERROR AND THAT IT SHOULD BE A CLOSED ISSUE, AS FAR AS THE FLT CREW IS CONCERNED.

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.