Flight crew heard an ATC clearance to descend, read the clearance back to the controller, began the ...

Attributes
ACN	424268
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	424268
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jan/xa/99, aircraft #1 iad-gso, gso had been fogged in. The RVR had been between 1600-2000 ft. We needed 2400 ft RVR for the approach to the ILS runway 5. The localizer for runway 23 was OTS. After being vectored for some time and finally reaching our decision fuel, we opted to go to our alternate, which was rdu. We relayed this to the controller, which in turn stated our call sign, 'aircraft #1, turn left heading 080 degrees, descend and maintain 3000 ft.' the first officer read back the clearance as well as I did to the first officer. I began descending, but upon reaching 4500 ft MSL, the controller called our call sign again, 'aircraft #1 maintain 5000 ft' and then stated 'you should be at 6000 ft.' we queried the controller about the previous clearance and he stated that it was not for us. We immediately returned to 6000 ft MSL without incident. My first officer and I heard our call sign and clearance down to 3000 ft. The first officer read it back as well as I did to my first officer. We feel this could be a mistake by the controller. The cockpit was being run very slowly and methodically so as to make certain everyone, ie, company, passenger, and ATC to be kept in the loop. Should anything arise from this, I would like the tape to be pulled as evidence if possible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HEARD AN ATC CLRNC TO DSND, READ THE CLRNC BACK TO THE CTLR, BEGAN THE DSCNT AND WAS THEN ADVISED BY THE CTLR THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS NOT FOR THEM.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/99, ACFT #1 IAD-GSO, GSO HAD BEEN FOGGED IN. THE RVR HAD BEEN BTWN 1600-2000 FT. WE NEEDED 2400 FT RVR FOR THE APCH TO THE ILS RWY 5. THE LOC FOR RWY 23 WAS OTS. AFTER BEING VECTORED FOR SOME TIME AND FINALLY REACHING OUR DECISION FUEL, WE OPTED TO GO TO OUR ALTERNATE, WHICH WAS RDU. WE RELAYED THIS TO THE CTLR, WHICH IN TURN STATED OUR CALL SIGN, 'ACFT #1, TURN L HDG 080 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC AS WELL AS I DID TO THE FO. I BEGAN DSNDING, BUT UPON REACHING 4500 FT MSL, THE CTLR CALLED OUR CALL SIGN AGAIN, 'ACFT #1 MAINTAIN 5000 FT' AND THEN STATED 'YOU SHOULD BE AT 6000 FT.' WE QUERIED THE CTLR ABOUT THE PREVIOUS CLRNC AND HE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT FOR US. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 6000 FT MSL WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY FO AND I HEARD OUR CALL SIGN AND CLRNC DOWN TO 3000 FT. THE FO READ IT BACK AS WELL AS I DID TO MY FO. WE FEEL THIS COULD BE A MISTAKE BY THE CTLR. THE COCKPIT WAS BEING RUN VERY SLOWLY AND METHODICALLY SO AS TO MAKE CERTAIN EVERYONE, IE, COMPANY, PAX, AND ATC TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP. SHOULD ANYTHING ARISE FROM THIS, I WOULD LIKE THE TAPE TO BE PULLED AS EVIDENCE IF POSSIBLE.

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.

Flight crew heard an ATC clearance to descend, read the clearance back to the controller, began the descent and was then advised by the controller that the descent clearance was not for them.