B757-200 flight crew has an altitude deviation in ZOB airspace.

Attributes
ACN	693300
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 33500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	693300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

ATC cleared us to; and I read back; descend to FL240. We started our descent; but as we passed FL335; the controller asked our altitude. I told him and then he said 'now level off at FL320.' he then gave us a frequency change in a very normal tone; as if there had not been a problem. After talking about it; we called on the other radio and asked him if there had been a problem. He said that the limit altitude is FL340 in that area and that this is read back in error very often. But it was no problem. We are both sure that he said FL240 and that I clearly said and set FL240.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW HAS AN ALTDEV IN ZOB AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ATC CLRED US TO; AND I READ BACK; DSND TO FL240. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT; BUT AS WE PASSED FL335; THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. I TOLD HIM AND THEN HE SAID 'NOW LEVEL OFF AT FL320.' HE THEN GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE IN A VERY NORMAL TONE; AS IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN A PROB. AFTER TALKING ABOUT IT; WE CALLED ON THE OTHER RADIO AND ASKED HIM IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROB. HE SAID THAT THE LIMIT ALT IS FL340 IN THAT AREA AND THAT THIS IS READ BACK IN ERROR VERY OFTEN. BUT IT WAS NO PROB. WE ARE BOTH SURE THAT HE SAID FL240 AND THAT I CLRLY SAID AND SET FL240.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.