Narrative:

En route and in descent from FL410 to clt. Descent to FL370, then told to expect cross 15 east vxv at FL290. Switched frequency, then given descent to FL350. First officer asked center if we would still have crossing altitude 15 east of vxv as expected. Center said 'gradual descent to clt expected' and have traffic at 1:30 position FL330. I was looking for the traffic when we were asked our altitude. I looked at altitude and were passing 34200 ft. We had leveled at FL350 for a few mins while we asked about any coming restr east of vxv. The captain thought controller had given clearance to FL330 and reset our flight altitude alert window to FL330. I did not notice the change in the altitude window as I was looking out the right window for traffic at 1:30. When we were asked our altitude by ZTL, I saw 34200 ft and descending and FL330 in altitude window. I asked captain why FL330 was in window and he said he thought we were cleared to FL330. Center vectored other aircraft around us and we called ZTL after landing. We both filed NASA reports to cover altitude problem/incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting first officer has not heard from the FAA on this incident. When the captain called from clt, the controller said that no report would be forwarded to FSDO. The change of controllers and the apparent nonstandard terminology by the controllers contributed to this as well as the lack of communication between the 2 pilots. Supplemental information from acn 294362: inbound toward clt at FL370, we were told to expect to cross vxv at FL290, then cleared to descend to FL350. At FL350 we were told to expect 15 mi west of vxv at FL290. As we were getting close to top of descent to make that restr, we asked ZTL if they were going to hold us to the expected clearance. They replied 'you can start a slow descent to FL330 and would get lower altitude after passing traffic.' approaching FL330, the controller asked our altitude and we called nearing FL330. He then gave immediate turn instructions to another (opposing) aircraft also at FL330. We were scolded for leaving FL350 and given a phone number to call about it. Upon reaching clt, I called and spoke to a supervisor. He scolded me again and I then asked if he had reviewed the tapes and he said something was wrong with the machine and the audio was destroyed. A review of the scope tape showed we missed by 5.1 mi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV.

Narrative: ENRTE AND IN DSCNT FROM FL410 TO CLT. DSCNT TO FL370, THEN TOLD TO EXPECT CROSS 15 E VXV AT FL290. SWITCHED FREQ, THEN GIVEN DSCNT TO FL350. FO ASKED CTR IF WE WOULD STILL HAVE XING ALT 15 E OF VXV AS EXPECTED. CTR SAID 'GRADUAL DSCNT TO CLT EXPECTED' AND HAVE TFC AT 1:30 POS FL330. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE TFC WHEN WE WERE ASKED OUR ALT. I LOOKED AT ALT AND WERE PASSING 34200 FT. WE HAD LEVELED AT FL350 FOR A FEW MINS WHILE WE ASKED ABOUT ANY COMING RESTR E OF VXV. THE CAPT THOUGHT CTLR HAD GIVEN CLRNC TO FL330 AND RESET OUR FLT ALT ALERT WINDOW TO FL330. I DID NOT NOTICE THE CHANGE IN THE ALT WINDOW AS I WAS LOOKING OUT THE R WINDOW FOR TFC AT 1:30. WHEN WE WERE ASKED OUR ALT BY ZTL, I SAW 34200 FT AND DSNDING AND FL330 IN ALT WINDOW. I ASKED CAPT WHY FL330 WAS IN WINDOW AND HE SAID HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO FL330. CTR VECTORED OTHER ACFT AROUND US AND WE CALLED ZTL AFTER LNDG. WE BOTH FILED NASA RPTS TO COVER ALT PROB/INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING FO HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA ON THIS INCIDENT. WHEN THE CAPT CALLED FROM CLT, THE CTLR SAID THAT NO RPT WOULD BE FORWARDED TO FSDO. THE CHANGE OF CTLRS AND THE APPARENT NONSTANDARD TERMINOLOGY BY THE CTLRS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS AS WELL AS THE LACK OF COM BTWN THE 2 PLTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 294362: INBOUND TOWARD CLT AT FL370, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT TO CROSS VXV AT FL290, THEN CLRED TO DSND TO FL350. AT FL350 WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT 15 MI W OF VXV AT FL290. AS WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO TOP OF DSCNT TO MAKE THAT RESTR, WE ASKED ZTL IF THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD US TO THE EXPECTED CLRNC. THEY REPLIED 'YOU CAN START A SLOW DSCNT TO FL330 AND WOULD GET LOWER ALT AFTER PASSING TFC.' APCHING FL330, THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND WE CALLED NEARING FL330. HE THEN GAVE IMMEDIATE TURN INSTRUCTIONS TO ANOTHER (OPPOSING) ACFT ALSO AT FL330. WE WERE SCOLDED FOR LEAVING FL350 AND GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ABOUT IT. UPON REACHING CLT, I CALLED AND SPOKE TO A SUPVR. HE SCOLDED ME AGAIN AND I THEN ASKED IF HE HAD REVIEWED THE TAPES AND HE SAID SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE MACHINE AND THE AUDIO WAS DESTROYED. A REVIEW OF THE SCOPE TAPE SHOWED WE MISSED BY 5.1 MI.

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.