Narrative:

We had been cleared from our cruise altitude to descend to FL240. I checked in on a new frequency (119.65) ZKC, and the controller said air carrier X '...turn....' it did not sound as if his microphone or radio cut out, it sounded as someone who stopped speaking because they are busy thinking or changing their mind. I gave the controller a min, then said 'air carrier X heard 'turn,' but nothing else.' the controller came back with 'air carrier, just descend and maintain FL180.' I answered, 'air carrier X descending to FL180.' I got no arguments from the controller (the captain, the so and our jump seat rider all agree to this). Several mins later, as we were descending past FL234, the controller called back and calmly told us to maintain FL240. I answered that we would climb back to FL240. I, captain, then jumped in and gruffly asked what the problem was, we had been cleared to FL180. The controller answered, 'no...no air carrier, you were not cleared to FL180...it, ah, must have been a miscom.' the controller on 119.65 seemed very new and inexperienced. Usually when this happens, however, the senior monitor will jump in, explain things, and it serves to make us feel better. We only heard the one voice and therefore submit this report!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727-200 STARTED DSNDING AFTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM ARTCC THAT THEY WERE ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT UNTIL ATC QUERIED THEM ABOUT THE DSCNT AND ADVISED THEM THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO DSND AND RETURN TO THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT. FLC MISUNDERSTANDING BY ALL 3 FLC MEMBERS.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FROM OUR CRUISE ALT TO DSND TO FL240. I CHKED IN ON A NEW FREQ (119.65) ZKC, AND THE CTLR SAID ACR X '...TURN....' IT DID NOT SOUND AS IF HIS MIKE OR RADIO CUT OUT, IT SOUNDED AS SOMEONE WHO STOPPED SPEAKING BECAUSE THEY ARE BUSY THINKING OR CHANGING THEIR MIND. I GAVE THE CTLR A MIN, THEN SAID 'ACR X HEARD 'TURN,' BUT NOTHING ELSE.' THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH 'ACR, JUST DSND AND MAINTAIN FL180.' I ANSWERED, 'ACR X DSNDING TO FL180.' I GOT NO ARGUMENTS FROM THE CTLR (THE CAPT, THE SO AND OUR JUMP SEAT RIDER ALL AGREE TO THIS). SEVERAL MINS LATER, AS WE WERE DSNDING PAST FL234, THE CTLR CALLED BACK AND CALMLY TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL240. I ANSWERED THAT WE WOULD CLB BACK TO FL240. I, CAPT, THEN JUMPED IN AND GRUFFLY ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS, WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL180. THE CTLR ANSWERED, 'NO...NO ACR, YOU WERE NOT CLRED TO FL180...IT, AH, MUST HAVE BEEN A MISCOM.' THE CTLR ON 119.65 SEEMED VERY NEW AND INEXPERIENCED. USUALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS, HOWEVER, THE SENIOR MONITOR WILL JUMP IN, EXPLAIN THINGS, AND IT SERVES TO MAKE US FEEL BETTER. WE ONLY HEARD THE ONE VOICE AND THEREFORE SUBMIT THIS RPT!

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.