Widebody transport apparently issued wrong clearance and descended to other than coordination altitu...

Attributes
ACN	93846
Time
Date	198809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dbq
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 23000 agl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	93846
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Eastbound J-84 at FL370 about 80 NM west of dbq VOR for ord landing. Center cleared us to, 'descend to and cross dbq at FL230.' I read back the clearance and set 230 in the altitude alert. The first officer stated to me, per company SOP's, 'cleared to cross dbq at FL230.' about 4 min later I reported leaving FL370 to cross dbq at FL230. Center acknowledged both of my radio calls and appeared to be content and happy with our progress. Just as we were leveling off at FL230 3 to 4 mi west of dbq, center said in a very concerned sounding voice, 'climb now to FL240.' we did this with haste, and I asked why. He said we had been cleared (from FL370) to cross dbq at FL330 and descend to FL240. Up until we were told to climb now to FL240, it had not even been mentioned to us! We had not received the clearance that the sector controller for the dbq VOR thought we had received. We had changed frequencys and controllers at some point between the original clearance to cross dbq at FL230 and our arrival at FL230, I think center gave us a clearance meant for another aircraft. I read back the original clearance, repeated it when leaving FL370 and in both cases, center appeared happy with our intentions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB APPARENTLY ISSUED WRONG CLRNC AND DESCENDED TO OTHER THAN COORD ALT OVER DBQ, SECOND CTLR CORRECTED ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: EBND J-84 AT FL370 ABOUT 80 NM W OF DBQ VOR FOR ORD LANDING. CENTER CLRED US TO, 'DSND TO AND CROSS DBQ AT FL230.' I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND SET 230 IN THE ALT ALERT. THE F/O STATED TO ME, PER COMPANY SOP'S, 'CLRED TO CROSS DBQ AT FL230.' ABOUT 4 MIN LATER I RPTED LEAVING FL370 TO CROSS DBQ AT FL230. CENTER ACKNOWLEDGED BOTH OF MY RADIO CALLS AND APPEARED TO BE CONTENT AND HAPPY WITH OUR PROGRESS. JUST AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF AT FL230 3 TO 4 MI W OF DBQ, CENTER SAID IN A VERY CONCERNED SOUNDING VOICE, 'CLB NOW TO FL240.' WE DID THIS WITH HASTE, AND I ASKED WHY. HE SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED (FROM FL370) TO CROSS DBQ AT FL330 AND DSND TO FL240. UP UNTIL WE WERE TOLD TO CLB NOW TO FL240, IT HAD NOT EVEN BEEN MENTIONED TO US! WE HAD NOT RECEIVED THE CLRNC THAT THE SECTOR CTLR FOR THE DBQ VOR THOUGHT WE HAD RECEIVED. WE HAD CHANGED FREQS AND CTLRS AT SOME POINT BTWN THE ORIGINAL CLRNC TO CROSS DBQ AT FL230 AND OUR ARR AT FL230, I THINK CENTER GAVE US A CLRNC MEANT FOR ANOTHER ACFT. I READ BACK THE ORIGINAL CLRNC, REPEATED IT WHEN LEAVING FL370 AND IN BOTH CASES, CENTER APPEARED HAPPY WITH OUR INTENTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Widebody transport apparently issued wrong clearance and descended to other than coordination altitude over dbq, second controller corrected altitude assignment.