Medium large transport has clearance confusion on descent on STAR.

Attributes
ACN	309470
Time
Date	199506
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dxo
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	309470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On frequency ZOB, received clearance to cross cetus 11000 ft. (Readback clearance). Previously we were held at 16000 ft until by a metropolitan 3 who called us in sight. Handed off to dtw approach 124.25 called leveling at 11000 ft. Controller responded you were supposed to be cleared to 12000 ft. He informed us we were 4 mi ahead of metropolitan and reclred us to 11000 ft. It appears on these last min dscnts to make crossing restrs, it can be easy to mishear a clearance and the controller mishear the readback. We were given the clearance to cross cetus at 11000 ft only 10 mi out with 5000 ft of altitude to lose. As everyone knows you get in a hurry people tend to make mistakes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS CLRNC CONFUSION ON DSCNT ON STAR.

Narrative: ON FREQ ZOB, RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS CETUS 11000 FT. (READBACK CLRNC). PREVIOUSLY WE WERE HELD AT 16000 FT UNTIL BY A METRO 3 WHO CALLED US IN SIGHT. HANDED OFF TO DTW APCH 124.25 CALLED LEVELING AT 11000 FT. CTLR RESPONDED YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CLRED TO 12000 FT. HE INFORMED US WE WERE 4 MI AHEAD OF METRO AND RECLRED US TO 11000 FT. IT APPEARS ON THESE LAST MIN DSCNTS TO MAKE XING RESTRS, IT CAN BE EASY TO MISHEAR A CLRNC AND THE CTLR MISHEAR THE READBACK. WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC TO CROSS CETUS AT 11000 FT ONLY 10 MI OUT WITH 5000 FT OF ALT TO LOSE. AS EVERYONE KNOWS YOU GET IN A HURRY PEOPLE TEND TO MAKE MISTAKES.

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.