Narrative:

We had been cleared the gilmore 4 arrival to mem. Also cleared to cross gqe at 10000 ft and 250 KTS. Center controller then issued a clearance to maintain FL240 and said we still have the gqe 10000 ft and 250 KT restr. We continued into gqe VOR at FL240 and were never issued a clearance out of FL240 that we acknowledged, and we contend that one was never given. About 20 mi out of gqe the controller asked why we were at FL240. We advised that we were never reclred out of FL240. He said someone had acknowledged such a clearance. We, however, had not. There was a same company flight behind us. We did a 360 degree turn (as directed by center controller) and descended. To our knowledge, separation with other traffic was never lost.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET. ATC COM CONFUSION.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED THE GILMORE 4 ARR TO MEM. ALSO CLRED TO CROSS GQE AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS. CTR CTLR THEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN FL240 AND SAID WE STILL HAVE THE GQE 10000 FT AND 250 KT RESTR. WE CONTINUED INTO GQE VOR AT FL240 AND WERE NEVER ISSUED A CLRNC OUT OF FL240 THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGED, AND WE CONTEND THAT ONE WAS NEVER GIVEN. ABOUT 20 MI OUT OF GQE THE CTLR ASKED WHY WE WERE AT FL240. WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE NEVER RECLRED OUT OF FL240. HE SAID SOMEONE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED SUCH A CLRNC. WE, HOWEVER, HAD NOT. THERE WAS A SAME COMPANY FLT BEHIND US. WE DID A 360 DEG TURN (AS DIRECTED BY CTR CTLR) AND DSNDED. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, SEPARATION WITH OTHER TFC WAS NEVER LOST.

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.