An air carrier's leveloff was delayed, which caused a controller to question flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	299540
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5900 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 747
ASRS Report	299540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Under new york approach control vectors for ILS runway 22 approach to ewr. Cleared to descend from 7000 ft to 6000 ft. Utilizing the autoplt altitude capture feature, leveled aircraft at 6000 ft. At this time controller asked if we had been assigned 5000 ft or 6000 ft. We stated 6000 ft. He then asked for our altitude, and we stated 5900 ft. Although autoplt overshoots altitude when capturing (on occasion), the altitudes were well within limits -- never exceeding 100-200 ft. Crew was alert and attentive. This report is a cya in that nothing occurred from the cockpit out of the norm. The controller may have just forgotten the altitude he cleared us to and asked the 'leading' questions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR'S LEVELOFF WAS DELAYED, WHICH CAUSED A CTLR TO QUESTION FLC.

Narrative: UNDER NEW YORK APCH CTL VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 22 APCH TO EWR. CLRED TO DSND FROM 7000 FT TO 6000 FT. UTILIZING THE AUTOPLT ALT CAPTURE FEATURE, LEVELED ACFT AT 6000 FT. AT THIS TIME CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 5000 FT OR 6000 FT. WE STATED 6000 FT. HE THEN ASKED FOR OUR ALT, AND WE STATED 5900 FT. ALTHOUGH AUTOPLT OVERSHOOTS ALT WHEN CAPTURING (ON OCCASION), THE ALTS WERE WELL WITHIN LIMITS -- NEVER EXCEEDING 100-200 FT. CREW WAS ALERT AND ATTENTIVE. THIS RPT IS A CYA IN THAT NOTHING OCCURRED FROM THE COCKPIT OUT OF THE NORM. THE CTLR MAY HAVE JUST FORGOTTEN THE ALT HE CLRED US TO AND ASKED THE 'LEADING' QUESTIONS.

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.