Altitude deviation on descent. ATC-flight crew miscom on altitude.

Attributes
ACN	321440
Time
Date	199511
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gqo
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30500 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tower : edi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	321440
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	321134
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Encountered light chop at FL330 and requested smoother flight. Captain and I understood cleared at FL290 for smoother and in descent at FL305. ATC said only cleared to FL310. We climbed back up immediately to FL310 and shortly thereafter cleared to FL290.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ON DSCNT. ATC-FLC MISCOM ON ALT.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED LIGHT CHOP AT FL330 AND REQUESTED SMOOTHER FLT. CAPT AND I UNDERSTOOD CLRED AT FL290 FOR SMOOTHER AND IN DSCNT AT FL305. ATC SAID ONLY CLRED TO FL310. WE CLBED BACK UP IMMEDIATELY TO FL310 AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER CLRED TO FL290.

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.