An EMB120 flight crew has some confusion as to what altitude they were cleared to.

Attributes
ACN	522860
Time
Date	200108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lho.vor
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21500 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1050
ASRS Report	522860
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During descent from FL260, controller (slc) gave us a crossing restr with an immediate descent to FL250. Slc then told us to descend to FL200. This was then amended to FL220. The crossing restr was not cancelled. I elected to just go down to the restr altitude. While descending through FL215, slc queried us. We stated we were headed for the crossing restr altitude. Slc told us to maintain FL220. Problem: conflicting instructions from center. Solution: next time I will get clarification.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB120 FLT CREW HAS SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHAT ALT THEY WERE CLRED TO.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT FROM FL260, CTLR (SLC) GAVE US A XING RESTR WITH AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO FL250. SLC THEN TOLD US TO DSND TO FL200. THIS WAS THEN AMENDED TO FL220. THE XING RESTR WAS NOT CANCELLED. I ELECTED TO JUST GO DOWN TO THE RESTR ALT. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH FL215, SLC QUERIED US. WE STATED WE WERE HEADED FOR THE XING RESTR ALT. SLC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL220. PROB: CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM CTR. SOLUTION: NEXT TIME I WILL GET CLARIFICATION.

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.