Narrative:

Our flight was cleared to cross 25 east of jvl or at 10000 ft. At the current time, I believe we were approximately 25 mi west of jvl proceeding direct the VOR on the 070 degree radial. The captain started the descent out of FL210 for 10000 ft almost as soon as the restr was given. At approximately 17-19 DME east of jvl, we were at 11500 ft, and were then cleared to 9000 ft by ZAU. The captain and I discussed the fact that after a new altitude is given it negates the crossing restr altitude. At this point the captain slowed down his rate of descent, but continued down to 9000 ft. At 31 DME east of jvl, we were handed off to milwaukee approach, and asked what our DME was. I told the controller, but then the captain asked the controller why she was asking. She responded that she had given us a crossing restr, but then we said that we were given a new altitude prior to reaching the restr. That was the end of the conversation. Looking back on the situation, we should have asked the controller if she still wanted us at 10000 ft, 25 mi east of jvl. This would have eliminated any confusion. There was never any danger of crossing traffic, but at any rate the controller could have been more clear, and we should have asked the controller about the restr. In the future, whenever I am unsure of a situation, I will always ask the controller just to be absolutely sure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO COMMUTER QUESTIONS THE FLC TECHNIQUE COM AFTER RECEIVING AN AMENDED CLRNC ALT CHANGE.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS CLRED TO CROSS 25 E OF JVL OR AT 10000 FT. AT THE CURRENT TIME, I BELIEVE WE WERE APPROX 25 MI W OF JVL PROCEEDING DIRECT THE VOR ON THE 070 DEG RADIAL. THE CAPT STARTED THE DSCNT OUT OF FL210 FOR 10000 FT ALMOST AS SOON AS THE RESTR WAS GIVEN. AT APPROX 17-19 DME E OF JVL, WE WERE AT 11500 FT, AND WERE THEN CLRED TO 9000 FT BY ZAU. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT AFTER A NEW ALT IS GIVEN IT NEGATES THE XING RESTR ALT. AT THIS POINT THE CAPT SLOWED DOWN HIS RATE OF DSCNT, BUT CONTINUED DOWN TO 9000 FT. AT 31 DME E OF JVL, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MILWAUKEE APCH, AND ASKED WHAT OUR DME WAS. I TOLD THE CTLR, BUT THEN THE CAPT ASKED THE CTLR WHY SHE WAS ASKING. SHE RESPONDED THAT SHE HAD GIVEN US A XING RESTR, BUT THEN WE SAID THAT WE WERE GIVEN A NEW ALT PRIOR TO REACHING THE RESTR. THAT WAS THE END OF THE CONVERSATION. LOOKING BACK ON THE SIT, WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR IF SHE STILL WANTED US AT 10000 FT, 25 MI E OF JVL. THIS WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED ANY CONFUSION. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER OF XING TFC, BUT AT ANY RATE THE CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLR, AND WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR ABOUT THE RESTR. IN THE FUTURE, WHENEVER I AM UNSURE OF A SIT, I WILL ALWAYS ASK THE CTLR JUST TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE.

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.