Narrative:

At approximately 20 NM southeast of ord we heard ord approach control give us a clearance out of 11000 ft to 3000 ft. I read back 3000 ft and the first officer verbally acknowledged 3000 ft as per company procedures. At approximately 5800 ft he asked 'xx, where are you going?' I thought he was referring to location on the ground and I indicated we were going to the cargo ramp. He then indicated we were cleared only to 7000 ft, but that we were now cleared to 5000 ft. I told him that I read back 3000 ft and he mumbled something I didn't understand. No further discussion occurred. The controller was working at least one other frequency, I believe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 FLC RPTRS STATE THAT THE ALT READ BACK ON THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS 3000 FT. APCH CTLR INTERVENED WHEN ACFT WAS AT 5800 FT STATING THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO 7000 FT, BUT THEY WERE THEN CLRED TO 5000 FT.

Narrative: AT APPROX 20 NM SE OF ORD WE HEARD ORD APCH CTL GIVE US A CLRNC OUT OF 11000 FT TO 3000 FT. I READ BACK 3000 FT AND THE FO VERBALLY ACKNOWLEDGED 3000 FT AS PER COMPANY PROCS. AT APPROX 5800 FT HE ASKED 'XX, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' I THOUGHT HE WAS REFERRING TO LOCATION ON THE GND AND I INDICATED WE WERE GOING TO THE CARGO RAMP. HE THEN INDICATED WE WERE CLRED ONLY TO 7000 FT, BUT THAT WE WERE NOW CLRED TO 5000 FT. I TOLD HIM THAT I READ BACK 3000 FT AND HE MUMBLED SOMETHING I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OCCURRED. THE CTLR WAS WORKING AT LEAST ONE OTHER FREQ, I BELIEVE.

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.