F100 cleared to descend much too early for normal profile.

Attributes
ACN	436840
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	436840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Frequency/altitude: 125.2/FL280. ATC facility: cleveland. Location: buf. At FL280 just before buf, ZOB issued an altitude clearance, descend to 7000 ft. Since the crew was familiar with this route and expected 17000 ft, crew questioned center about clearance of 7000 ft. Center confirmed our readback of 7000 ft. Crew started descent. Cleveland xfer aircraft to toronto. Crew contacted toronto and questioned altitude clearance. Toronto gave crew new clearance to 14000 ft. No deviations noted. However, recommend continued stressing the importance of diligence when confirming or reading back altitude clrncs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F100 CLRED TO DSND MUCH TOO EARLY FOR NORMAL PROFILE.

Narrative: FREQ/ALT: 125.2/FL280. ATC FACILITY: CLEVELAND. LOCATION: BUF. AT FL280 JUST BEFORE BUF, ZOB ISSUED AN ALT CLRNC, DSND TO 7000 FT. SINCE THE CREW WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS RTE AND EXPECTED 17000 FT, CREW QUESTIONED CTR ABOUT CLRNC OF 7000 FT. CTR CONFIRMED OUR READBACK OF 7000 FT. CREW STARTED DSCNT. CLEVELAND XFER ACFT TO TORONTO. CREW CONTACTED TORONTO AND QUESTIONED ALT CLRNC. TORONTO GAVE CREW NEW CLRNC TO 14000 FT. NO DEVS NOTED. HOWEVER, RECOMMEND CONTINUED STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF DILIGENCE WHEN CONFIRMING OR READING BACK ALT CLRNCS.

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.