Narrative:

During our approach into dfw we encountered extensive controller confusion. Our initial clearance was direct to scurry followed by the scurry 9 arrival. Unexpectedly we were reclred to fzt, scurry, and the scurry 9 arrival. We were unable to confirm this clearance, and were told to stand by 3 times. The controller was also giving unusual instructions to other aircraft. After we confirmed our clearance, we continued the arrival. Other aircraft were given holding instructions. After passing scurry the controller gave us a 180 degree turn. Our altitude was FL240. The captain confirmed with the controller that we were not given holding instructions. It appeared training was in progress. We eventually were given vectors back to scurry. We transferred to another controller and asked for descent. Both pilots copied a descent to 10000'. 10000' was dialed into the flight management system. Shortly after leveling at 10000' we were transferred to a third controller, and checked in at 10000'. The controller told us to climb to 11000' immediately. There was no conflict with other traffic, and the remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 142574: I'm not sure but I might have been updating the F/a's on our arrival. I am experienced with dfw arrs, but this one seemed more chaotic than normal. My first officer was descending more rapidly than normal and I was concentrating on correcting this rather than the altitudes selected until the last minute. I feel that there was a good chance we were instead assigned 10000', but I should have questioned it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: DURING OUR APCH INTO DFW WE ENCOUNTERED EXTENSIVE CTLR CONFUSION. OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS DIRECT TO SCURRY FOLLOWED BY THE SCURRY 9 ARR. UNEXPECTEDLY WE WERE RECLRED TO FZT, SCURRY, AND THE SCURRY 9 ARR. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM THIS CLRNC, AND WERE TOLD TO STAND BY 3 TIMES. THE CTLR WAS ALSO GIVING UNUSUAL INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT. AFTER WE CONFIRMED OUR CLRNC, WE CONTINUED THE ARR. OTHER ACFT WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER PASSING SCURRY THE CTLR GAVE US A 180 DEG TURN. OUR ALT WAS FL240. THE CAPT CONFIRMED WITH THE CTLR THAT WE WERE NOT GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. IT APPEARED TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. WE EVENTUALLY WERE GIVEN VECTORS BACK TO SCURRY. WE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER CTLR AND ASKED FOR DSNT. BOTH PLTS COPIED A DSNT TO 10000'. 10000' WAS DIALED INTO THE FLT MGMNT SYS. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 10000' WE WERE TRANSFERRED TO A THIRD CTLR, AND CHKED IN AT 10000'. THE CTLR TOLD US TO CLB TO 11000' IMMEDIATELY. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC, AND THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 142574: I'M NOT SURE BUT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN UPDATING THE F/A'S ON OUR ARR. I AM EXPERIENCED WITH DFW ARRS, BUT THIS ONE SEEMED MORE CHAOTIC THAN NORMAL. MY F/O WAS DSNDING MORE RAPIDLY THAN NORMAL AND I WAS CONCENTRATING ON CORRECTING THIS RATHER THAN THE ALTS SELECTED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. I FEEL THAT THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE WE WERE INSTEAD ASSIGNED 10000', BUT I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED IT.

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.