Narrative:

We were handed off to the next sector controller who gave us a clearance to cross 85 west of vhp (brickyard VOR) at FL230. I copied this on my note pad and read it back. My copilot started computing his descent so as to loose 6000 ft (we were at FL290), and make the crossing restr. We reported to ZKC that we were descending. As we reached FL230 we were handed off to ZID. I checked in at FL230. Indy responded 'verify you're at FL240.' I replied 'negative, we're at FL230.' 'our clearance was to cross 85 west of vhp at 230.' evidently, center thought I had finished my transmission when I said 'FL230,' and made a transmission to another aircraft. When I released my microphone button, I heard center say 'descend to 11000 ft.' I acknowledged his instruction 'rodger air carrier X, descend to 11000 ft.' he then came back 'negative air carrier X, climb to FL240,' and then re-issued his clearance to another aircraft to descend to 11000 ft. We climbed to FL240. Approximately 15 mins later, the controller descended us for arrival at ind. As he turned us over to indy approach control, he transmitted a telephone number and asked that the captain call ZID due to a possible altitude deviation and traffic conflict. I called the center and spoke with a supervisor. He informed me there had been a traffic conflict alert, and an investigation had been initiated. He said kansas city low sector had handed off a king air at FL230, who was also eastbound, and had handed us off at FL240. When we both checked in at the same altitude, a traffic alert sounded. He stated ZKC had been contacted and asked to review the tapes. He told me he had not received word of the tape contents. I gave him my cell-phone number and asked him to call me as soon as he had the results of the tapes. Approximately 1 hour later, a quality assurance controller called and said the tapes had been reviewed and that we had been cleared to FL230 and indicated we (the flight crew) were off the hook.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZKC ARTCC RADAR CTLR INADVERTENTLY DSNDS A CARGO ACR TO FL230 RESULTING IN A CONFLICT WITH A KING AIR.

Narrative: WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT SECTOR CTLR WHO GAVE US A CLRNC TO CROSS 85 W OF VHP (BRICKYARD VOR) AT FL230. I COPIED THIS ON MY NOTE PAD AND READ IT BACK. MY COPLT STARTED COMPUTING HIS DSCNT SO AS TO LOOSE 6000 FT (WE WERE AT FL290), AND MAKE THE XING RESTR. WE RPTED TO ZKC THAT WE WERE DSNDING. AS WE REACHED FL230 WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZID. I CHKED IN AT FL230. INDY RESPONDED 'VERIFY YOU'RE AT FL240.' I REPLIED 'NEGATIVE, WE'RE AT FL230.' 'OUR CLRNC WAS TO CROSS 85 W OF VHP AT 230.' EVIDENTLY, CTR THOUGHT I HAD FINISHED MY XMISSION WHEN I SAID 'FL230,' AND MADE A XMISSION TO ANOTHER ACFT. WHEN I RELEASED MY MIKE BUTTON, I HEARD CTR SAY 'DSND TO 11000 FT.' I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS INSTRUCTION 'RODGER ACR X, DSND TO 11000 FT.' HE THEN CAME BACK 'NEGATIVE ACR X, CLB TO FL240,' AND THEN RE-ISSUED HIS CLRNC TO ANOTHER ACFT TO DSND TO 11000 FT. WE CLBED TO FL240. APPROX 15 MINS LATER, THE CTLR DSNDED US FOR ARR AT IND. AS HE TURNED US OVER TO INDY APCH CTL, HE XMITTED A TELEPHONE NUMBER AND ASKED THAT THE CAPT CALL ZID DUE TO A POSSIBLE ALT DEV AND TFC CONFLICT. I CALLED THE CTR AND SPOKE WITH A SUPVR. HE INFORMED ME THERE HAD BEEN A TFC CONFLICT ALERT, AND AN INVESTIGATION HAD BEEN INITIATED. HE SAID KANSAS CITY LOW SECTOR HAD HANDED OFF A KING AIR AT FL230, WHO WAS ALSO EBOUND, AND HAD HANDED US OFF AT FL240. WHEN WE BOTH CHKED IN AT THE SAME ALT, A TFC ALERT SOUNDED. HE STATED ZKC HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND ASKED TO REVIEW THE TAPES. HE TOLD ME HE HAD NOT RECEIVED WORD OF THE TAPE CONTENTS. I GAVE HIM MY CELL-PHONE NUMBER AND ASKED HIM TO CALL ME AS SOON AS HE HAD THE RESULTS OF THE TAPES. APPROX 1 HR LATER, A QUALITY ASSURANCE CTLR CALLED AND SAID THE TAPES HAD BEEN REVIEWED AND THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL230 AND INDICATED WE (THE FLT CREW) WERE OFF THE HOOK.

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.