Narrative:

We were en route from roatan (honduras) to miami, level at FL390, approaching tadpo (fir between la havana and ZMA on G448). We had to deviate to the left off course (south off the airway), due to WX. I as PNF asked havana center, then he told me to switch over to ZMA on 132.2. When I first contacted ZMA, the controller told me to proceed direct wever (which is a point with a constraint in the arrival) and the dvall one arrival to miami. I then replied, 'roger aircraft X, direct wever and dvall one arrival to miami.' a few seconds after that, the PF (first officer) told me to ask for lower altitude, so I called and said, 'miami, aircraft X requesting lower.' the controller said,' aircraft X, I told you dvall one arrival.' I challenged him, 'I understand cross wever at 10000 ft and 250 KTS?' (which is the constraint). He said, 'that's what I said (in not too gentle way), so I replied again, 'roger, wever at 10000 ft and 250 KTS.' the PF started the descent and when we were crossing FL365 he called us and said, 'aircraft X, what are you doing? I did not tell you to descend.' I said, 'yes, sir, I challenged you if we were cleared to cross wever at 10000 ft and 250 KTS and you said yes.' he said, 'I did not, stop your descent now, you have traffic ahead of you at FL350.' so we stopped the descent immediately at FL361. After that he called me again and said, 'aircraft X, I will give you a number to call when you land.' I said, 'roger.' after that he cleared us to FL240, gave us some vectors around traffic, and told us to switch over to miami on 128.12. I replied, 'roger, contact miami on 128.12 and which was the number you want me to call?' he said, 'disregard, it's over.' from my viewpoint, since I first contacted him, I noticed he was a little bit stressed and rushed. Maybe he was a new guy or he was under too much pressure due to traffic in his zone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOREIGN CARRIER CAPT RPTED A MISUNDERSTANDING HE HAD WITH ZMA WHICH RESULTED IN AN ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE FROM ROATAN (HONDURAS) TO MIAMI, LEVEL AT FL390, APCHING TADPO (FIR BTWN LA HAVANA AND ZMA ON G448). WE HAD TO DEVIATE TO THE L OFF COURSE (S OFF THE AIRWAY), DUE TO WX. I AS PNF ASKED HAVANA CTR, THEN HE TOLD ME TO SWITCH OVER TO ZMA ON 132.2. WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED ZMA, THE CTLR TOLD ME TO PROCEED DIRECT WEVER (WHICH IS A POINT WITH A CONSTRAINT IN THE ARR) AND THE DVALL ONE ARR TO MIAMI. I THEN REPLIED, 'ROGER ACFT X, DIRECT WEVER AND DVALL ONE ARR TO MIAMI.' A FEW SECONDS AFTER THAT, THE PF (FO) TOLD ME TO ASK FOR LOWER ALT, SO I CALLED AND SAID, 'MIAMI, ACFT X REQUESTING LOWER.' THE CTLR SAID,' ACFT X, I TOLD YOU DVALL ONE ARR.' I CHALLENGED HIM, 'I UNDERSTAND CROSS WEVER AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS?' (WHICH IS THE CONSTRAINT). HE SAID, 'THAT'S WHAT I SAID (IN NOT TOO GENTLE WAY), SO I REPLIED AGAIN, 'ROGER, WEVER AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS.' THE PF STARTED THE DSCNT AND WHEN WE WERE XING FL365 HE CALLED US AND SAID, 'ACFT X, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DID NOT TELL YOU TO DSND.' I SAID, 'YES, SIR, I CHALLENGED YOU IF WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS WEVER AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS AND YOU SAID YES.' HE SAID, 'I DID NOT, STOP YOUR DSCNT NOW, YOU HAVE TFC AHEAD OF YOU AT FL350.' SO WE STOPPED THE DSCNT IMMEDIATELY AT FL361. AFTER THAT HE CALLED ME AGAIN AND SAID, 'ACFT X, I WILL GIVE YOU A NUMBER TO CALL WHEN YOU LAND.' I SAID, 'ROGER.' AFTER THAT HE CLRED US TO FL240, GAVE US SOME VECTORS AROUND TFC, AND TOLD US TO SWITCH OVER TO MIAMI ON 128.12. I REPLIED, 'ROGER, CONTACT MIAMI ON 128.12 AND WHICH WAS THE NUMBER YOU WANT ME TO CALL?' HE SAID, 'DISREGARD, IT'S OVER.' FROM MY VIEWPOINT, SINCE I FIRST CONTACTED HIM, I NOTICED HE WAS A LITTLE BIT STRESSED AND RUSHED. MAYBE HE WAS A NEW GUY OR HE WAS UNDER TOO MUCH PRESSURE DUE TO TFC IN HIS ZONE.

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.