The controller stated the crew was cleared to FL370 as the crew was observed descending toward FL270...

Attributes
ACN	305450
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34400 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11400 flight time type : 3018
ASRS Report	305450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	305439
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATC cleared us to descend to FL270 and be level 5 mi east of slate run VOR. Captain acknowledged FL270. Passing FL344, ATC advised clearance limit was FL370. Captain acknowledged the fact that he read back clearance as FL270 and asked ZOB controller if we have a problem here. ZOB controller stated no problem and continue descent to maintain FL290. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said the airplane was a B-757. The event was confusing in that the flight at FL350 was approaching the destination and was expecting to be descended. When the controller issued the clearance to FL270 and the captain read back clearly FL270 with the crossing restr all was as it should have been. When the controller mentioned that we were cleared to FL370 then nothing was as it should have been. We should not have been climbing to FL370 at this point and the readback should have been clear. Then the controller said there was no problem when questioned and cleared us to descend to FL290. We thought it better to send in the report and not need to than to have needed to and not have sent the report in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE CTLR STATED THE CREW WAS CLRED TO FL370 AS THE CREW WAS OBSERVED DSNDING TOWARD FL270.

Narrative: ATC CLRED US TO DSND TO FL270 AND BE LEVEL 5 MI E OF SLATE RUN VOR. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED FL270. PASSING FL344, ATC ADVISED CLRNC LIMIT WAS FL370. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT HE READ BACK CLRNC AS FL270 AND ASKED ZOB CTLR IF WE HAVE A PROB HERE. ZOB CTLR STATED NO PROB AND CONTINUE DSCNT TO MAINTAIN FL290. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS A B-757. THE EVENT WAS CONFUSING IN THAT THE FLT AT FL350 WAS APCHING THE DEST AND WAS EXPECTING TO BE DSNDED. WHEN THE CTLR ISSUED THE CLRNC TO FL270 AND THE CAPT READ BACK CLRLY FL270 WITH THE XING RESTR ALL WAS AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WHEN THE CTLR MENTIONED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL370 THEN NOTHING WAS AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLBING TO FL370 AT THIS POINT AND THE READBACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLR. THEN THE CTLR SAID THERE WAS NO PROB WHEN QUESTIONED AND CLRED US TO DSND TO FL290. WE THOUGHT IT BETTER TO SEND IN THE RPT AND NOT NEED TO THAN TO HAVE NEEDED TO AND NOT HAVE SENT THE RPT IN.

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.