Narrative:

I was the captain and PF on approach to lga. The copilot (PNF) was operating the radios and talking to ATC. We were being vectored for the ILS runway 4 approach to lga. We were told to descend to 4000 ft and proceed direct to grene intersection. As we were descending we were then told to contact lga approach on another frequency. As we were proceeding direct to grene intersection we were descending through 6500 ft for 4000 ft when the controller told us we were supposed to maintain 7000 ft. The copilot then told the controller we were cleared to 4000 ft by the previous controller. We were then told to maintain our present altitude of 6500 ft. We leveled off for approximately 10-15 seconds, then ewr were told to descend to 4000 ft and turn to heading of 060 degrees to intercept the localizer for runway 4. There was no traffic conflict and the approach was continued and the landing was made without incident. As soon as possible I contacted new york TRACON on the telephone and spoke to the controling supervisor. The supervisor put me on hold for a few mins, came back, and told me there was no problem, and as far as they were concerned everything was fine. I feel the controller possibly gave us a lower altitude than the next sector was anticipating. I do not feel that my crew was in error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR INADVERTENTLY ASSIGNED WRONG ALT. ON HDOF NEW CTLR CORRECTED ALT PROB.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT AND PF ON APCH TO LGA. THE COPLT (PNF) WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS AND TALKING TO ATC. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 4 APCH TO LGA. WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND PROCEED DIRECT TO GRENE INTXN. AS WE WERE DSNDING WE WERE THEN TOLD TO CONTACT LGA APCH ON ANOTHER FREQ. AS WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO GRENE INTXN WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 6500 FT FOR 4000 FT WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. THE COPLT THEN TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT ALT OF 6500 FT. WE LEVELED OFF FOR APPROX 10-15 SECONDS, THEN EWR WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND TURN TO HDG OF 060 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 4. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND THE APCH WAS CONTINUED AND THE LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. ASAP I CONTACTED NEW YORK TRACON ON THE TELEPHONE AND SPOKE TO THE CTLING SUPVR. THE SUPVR PUT ME ON HOLD FOR A FEW MINS, CAME BACK, AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NO PROB, AND AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I FEEL THE CTLR POSSIBLY GAVE US A LOWER ALT THAN THE NEXT SECTOR WAS ANTICIPATING. I DO NOT FEEL THAT MY CREW WAS IN ERROR.

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.