Clearance confusion during an inexperienced crew's arrival at lga, ny.

Attributes
ACN	489280
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	489280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While in range, I as PNF went off the frequency to contact operations and get ATIS on radio #2. When I had got our gate information I checked back on and told captain I had #1 radio. At that time I confirmed we were in a descent from 3000 ft to 2000 ft on a 220 degree heading. As we got to 2300, ft controller asked what we were doing down there. He told us to climb back up to 3000 ft then he came back and asked us once again what happened. The captain replied that we had been told by the previous controller to descend to 2000 ft, fly 220 degree heading and contact lga approach. When captain checked on he gave heading and altitude call down to 2000 ft. Controller said nothing, but cleared us down to 2000 ft. No other comments made, no other aircraft involved. Captain's first trip off IOE, first officer within 6 months of hire date with 200 hours in aircraft. I will definitely monitor both radios even if I'm not working primary radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION DURING AN INEXPERIENCED CREW'S ARR AT LGA, NY.

Narrative: WHILE IN RANGE, I AS PNF WENT OFF THE FREQ TO CONTACT OPS AND GET ATIS ON RADIO #2. WHEN I HAD GOT OUR GATE INFO I CHKED BACK ON AND TOLD CAPT I HAD #1 RADIO. AT THAT TIME I CONFIRMED WE WERE IN A DSCNT FROM 3000 FT TO 2000 FT ON A 220 DEG HDG. AS WE GOT TO 2300, FT CTLR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING DOWN THERE. HE TOLD US TO CLB BACK UP TO 3000 FT THEN HE CAME BACK AND ASKED US ONCE AGAIN WHAT HAPPENED. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR TO DSND TO 2000 FT, FLY 220 DEG HDG AND CONTACT LGA APCH. WHEN CAPT CHKED ON HE GAVE HEADING AND ALT CALL DOWN TO 2000 FT. CTLR SAID NOTHING, BUT CLRED US DOWN TO 2000 FT. NO OTHER COMMENTS MADE, NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED. CAPT'S FIRST TRIP OFF IOE, FO WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF HIRE DATE WITH 200 HRS IN ACFT. I WILL DEFINITELY MONITOR BOTH RADIOS EVEN IF I'M NOT WORKING PRIMARY RADIO.

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.