Narrative:

We were level at 16000 ft proceeding direct lancaster when we were handed off to the next ny center controller. I checked in and was given a descent clearance to 10000 ft which I acknowledged. Other xmissions to and from ny center could be heard on the frequency. The next transmission to us was a normal frequency change to baltimore app. Baltimore advised us that ny center had a telephone number. They wanted us to call when we landed. When we called, center said they did not give us a descent clearance and did not know what frequency we were on, and that we passed through 3 sectors. What I feel may have happened is I dialed in the wrong frequency, checked in, and an aircraft with a similar call sign got the descent clearance. I acknowledged the clearance and no one questioned it because they did not know what frequency we were on. Why we were later handed off by ny center in a completely normal manner, (they didn't question our altitude) remains a mystery. Supplemental information from acn 217825: I called ny center when I got to dca and talked to a mr Y and he said what happened? I told him I didn't know what he was talking about. We had no problems on our flight. Everything was fine. He said I went from 16000 to 10000 ft without a clearance. I then told him I wanted him to pull the tapes and find the problem. I got back to mr Y later in the day. He said he could not find anything to back up what I said. I then asked him if anyone had been given a descent to 10000? He said that was not normally done. I asked him again and he would not answer my question. He made the comment I was on the wrong frequency. I replied if I was, how was I handed off to bwi approach and he didn't have an answer for me. I feel that 1 person was working more than 1 sector and the sectors were broken up and I was lost in the shuffle.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT CREW IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA FOR POSSIBLY LEAVING AN ALT WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 16000 FT PROCEEDING DIRECT LANCASTER WHEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT NY CTR CTLR. I CHKED IN AND WAS GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC TO 10000 FT WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. OTHER XMISSIONS TO AND FROM NY CTR COULD BE HEARD ON THE FREQ. THE NEXT XMISSION TO US WAS A NORMAL FREQ CHANGE TO BALTIMORE APP. BALTIMORE ADVISED US THAT NY CTR HAD A TELEPHONE NUMBER. THEY WANTED US TO CALL WHEN WE LANDED. WHEN WE CALLED, CTR SAID THEY DID NOT GIVE US A DSCNT CLRNC AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT FREQ WE WERE ON, AND THAT WE PASSED THROUGH 3 SECTORS. WHAT I FEEL MAY HAVE HAPPENED IS I DIALED IN THE WRONG FREQ, CHKED IN, AND AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN GOT THE DSCNT CLRNC. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND NO ONE QUESTIONED IT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT FREQ WE WERE ON. WHY WE WERE LATER HANDED OFF BY NY CTR IN A COMPLETELY NORMAL MANNER, (THEY DIDN'T QUESTION OUR ALT) REMAINS A MYSTERY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 217825: I CALLED NY CTR WHEN I GOT TO DCA AND TALKED TO A MR Y AND HE SAID WHAT HAPPENED? I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS ON OUR FLT. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. HE SAID I WENT FROM 16000 TO 10000 FT WITHOUT A CLRNC. I THEN TOLD HIM I WANTED HIM TO PULL THE TAPES AND FIND THE PROBLEM. I GOT BACK TO MR Y LATER IN THE DAY. HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING TO BACK UP WHAT I SAID. I THEN ASKED HIM IF ANYONE HAD BEEN GIVEN A DSCNT TO 10000? HE SAID THAT WAS NOT NORMALLY DONE. I ASKED HIM AGAIN AND HE WOULD NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION. HE MADE THE COMMENT I WAS ON THE WRONG FREQ. I REPLIED IF I WAS, HOW WAS I HANDED OFF TO BWI APCH AND HE DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME. I FEEL THAT 1 PERSON WAS WORKING MORE THAN 1 SECTOR AND THE SECTORS WERE BROKEN UP AND I WAS LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.

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.