Altitude clearance confusion.

Attributes
ACN	320110
Time
Date	199511
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	320110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	320208
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Descending through 8000 ft, cvg approach told us to level at 9000 ft. I told him we were at 8000 ft going to 7000 ft which he had given us. 7000 ft was set in the altitude window and we were sure that is what we had been given. The controller seemed unsure of himself and said 'no problem, no harm done.' shortly he gave us 7000 ft anyhow after we had leveled at 8000 ft. He told us to do that when we told him that's where we were.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT CLRNC CONFUSION.

Narrative: DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT, CVG APCH TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 9000 FT. I TOLD HIM WE WERE AT 8000 FT GOING TO 7000 FT WHICH HE HAD GIVEN US. 7000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT WINDOW AND WE WERE SURE THAT IS WHAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN. THE CTLR SEEMED UNSURE OF HIMSELF AND SAID 'NO PROB, NO HARM DONE.' SHORTLY HE GAVE US 7000 FT ANYHOW AFTER WE HAD LEVELED AT 8000 FT. HE TOLD US TO DO THAT WHEN WE TOLD HIM THAT'S WHERE WE WERE.

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.