Narrative:

During descent into bos, about 50 NM southwest of pvd VOR, ATC cleared us to descend to FL220. This altitude was read back and acknowledged by flight crew (all 3). As the aircraft went through FL225, ATC queried us as to clearance. We responded with FL220 and center had acted as though he was not sure, then reiterated clearance for FL220. I would normally not write in about this since the confusion was with ATC, but I believe we are getting more of these sits due to controller overload. They are talking on different frequencys and you don't know if you are transmitting on top of someone else. The solution is to keep ATC on a single frequency or demand a response in the form of readback so everyone is up to speed. The current environment makes everyone nervous when anyone queries anything. We had accepted the clearance, reset, and 'double-pointed,' and there was still confusion on a clear day with normal traffic. Everyone was in the loop and sure of our clearance. We need to find a way to improve communication between ATC and the aircraft. All frequencys are too congested near major airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 WERE QUESTIONED BY THE ARTCC CTLR DURING DSCNT TO AN INTERMEDIATE ALT AS TO THEIR ASSIGNED ALT CAUSING THE 3 CREW MEMBERS TO WONDER IF THEY HAD HEARD, OR TAKEN THE WRONG CLRNC. HOWEVER, THE CTLR HESITATED AND CONFIRMED CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO BOS, ABOUT 50 NM SW OF PVD VOR, ATC CLRED US TO DSND TO FL220. THIS ALT WAS READ BACK AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY FLC (ALL 3). AS THE ACFT WENT THROUGH FL225, ATC QUERIED US AS TO CLRNC. WE RESPONDED WITH FL220 AND CTR HAD ACTED AS THOUGH HE WAS NOT SURE, THEN REITERATED CLRNC FOR FL220. I WOULD NORMALLY NOT WRITE IN ABOUT THIS SINCE THE CONFUSION WAS WITH ATC, BUT I BELIEVE WE ARE GETTING MORE OF THESE SITS DUE TO CTLR OVERLOAD. THEY ARE TALKING ON DIFFERENT FREQS AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE XMITTING ON TOP OF SOMEONE ELSE. THE SOLUTION IS TO KEEP ATC ON A SINGLE FREQ OR DEMAND A RESPONSE IN THE FORM OF READBACK SO EVERYONE IS UP TO SPD. THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT MAKES EVERYONE NERVOUS WHEN ANYONE QUERIES ANYTHING. WE HAD ACCEPTED THE CLRNC, RESET, AND 'DOUBLE-POINTED,' AND THERE WAS STILL CONFUSION ON A CLR DAY WITH NORMAL TFC. EVERYONE WAS IN THE LOOP AND SURE OF OUR CLRNC. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE COM BTWN ATC AND THE ACFT. ALL FREQS ARE TOO CONGESTED NEAR MAJOR ARPTS.

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.