After receiving descent clearance to 7000' reporter requested to remain at 10000' to keep speed up prior to initiating further descent. ATC concurred, but believed they had issued a new clearance to maintain 10000'.

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Attributes
ACN	109049
Time
Date	198904
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : swf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	109049
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 13200 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	109050
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On descent into hpn, ZBW cleared us to 7000'. After handoff to N90 the next controller stated that we could maintain 10000' in order to keep our speed up. In due time I descended to 7000'. Passing 9600' we were questioned on our altitude. It was obvious that the controller considered the 10000' clearance as an assigned altitude. However, both copilot and I were left with the understanding that we were still cleared to 7000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER RECEIVING DESCENT CLRNC TO 7000' REPORTER REQUESTED TO REMAIN AT 10000' TO KEEP SPEED UP PRIOR TO INITIATING FURTHER DESCENT. ATC CONCURRED, BUT BELIEVED THEY HAD ISSUED A NEW CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 10000'.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO HPN, ZBW CLRED US TO 7000'. AFTER HDOF TO N90 THE NEXT CTLR STATED THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN 10000' IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR SPD UP. IN DUE TIME I DSNDED TO 7000'. PASSING 9600' WE WERE QUESTIONED ON OUR ALT. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR CONSIDERED THE 10000' CLRNC AS AN ASSIGNED ALT. HOWEVER, BOTH COPLT AND I WERE LEFT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE STILL CLRED TO 7000'.

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.