FA20 crew reported the controller issued aircraft altitudes he later questioned.

Attributes
ACN	513580
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : jayja
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Falcon 20FJF/20C/20D/20E/20F
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : lzard
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 103 flight time total : 3377 flight time type : 1934
ASRS Report	513580
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had already begun the turn and descent. While approaching FL270 in the descent, ATC told us to stop our descent at FL270 and to slow to 250 KTS at this time. By the tone in ATC's voice, I could tell something wasn't exactly right. I questioned ATC to verify that the previous instruction was to descend to FL250. ATC stated that was not the case and that he wanted us to slow to 250 KTS, but now we could stay at FL270 and that was ok. I immediately asked the first officer what exactly was said between him and ATC. The first officer said he was positive that the controller told him to descend to FL250 and that he readback that we would descend to FL250. Furthermore, the first officer stated that the controller had made a similar mistake with another aircraft while I was off frequency. The biggest issue for myself is that I was not monitoring center while I was talking to flight service. As a result, I don't know exactly what was said between center and the first officer. I should have monitored center at the same time I was talking to flight service. This way I could have possibly caught a mistake if one actually occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA20 CREW RPTED THE CTLR ISSUED ACFT ALTS HE LATER QUESTIONED.

Narrative: WE HAD ALREADY BEGUN THE TURN AND DSCNT. WHILE APCHING FL270 IN THE DSCNT, ATC TOLD US TO STOP OUR DSCNT AT FL270 AND TO SLOW TO 250 KTS AT THIS TIME. BY THE TONE IN ATC'S VOICE, I COULD TELL SOMETHING WASN'T EXACTLY R. I QUESTIONED ATC TO VERIFY THAT THE PREVIOUS INSTRUCTION WAS TO DSND TO FL250. ATC STATED THAT WAS NOT THE CASE AND THAT HE WANTED US TO SLOW TO 250 KTS, BUT NOW WE COULD STAY AT FL270 AND THAT WAS OK. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED THE FO WHAT EXACTLY WAS SAID BTWN HIM AND ATC. THE FO SAID HE WAS POSITIVE THAT THE CTLR TOLD HIM TO DSND TO FL250 AND THAT HE READBACK THAT WE WOULD DSND TO FL250. FURTHERMORE, THE FO STATED THAT THE CTLR HAD MADE A SIMILAR MISTAKE WITH ANOTHER ACFT WHILE I WAS OFF FREQ. THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR MYSELF IS THAT I WAS NOT MONITORING CTR WHILE I WAS TALKING TO FLT SERVICE. AS A RESULT, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID BTWN CTR AND THE FO. I SHOULD HAVE MONITORED CTR AT THE SAME TIME I WAS TALKING TO FLT SERVICE. THIS WAY I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUGHT A MISTAKE IF ONE ACTUALLY OCCURRED.

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.