Narrative:

While descending into gyy from 12000 ft to 9000 ft, we began to paint a line of isolated cells on the radar. We requested vectors to avoid some moderate buildups and we were experiencing light chop in the descent. We leveled at 9000 ft about 30 NM southwest of gyy and continued to maneuver around small cells. We were then cleared to 5000 ft and the copilot selected 5000 ft in the preselect with the autoplt engaged. We continued descent and at 5500 ft the controller stated, 'are you descending to 5000 ft because you are cleared to 7000 ft.' due to the cockpit workload and distance from runway, and flight condition, I did not question his statement. Immediately after he said the above, he then said, 'you are cleared to 5000 ft' and we leveled at 5000 ft and continued with no further incident. I missed the 7000 ft call and so did my copilot, and neither I nor my copilot selected 7000 ft in the altitude preselect. I feel that the controller thought that he cleared us to 7000 ft, but didn't make the call or if he did, someone else answered the call, not our crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR FLC IN AN LTT DSNDED BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AS THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID WX AND TURB. THE ALERT APCH CTLR CALLED THIS TO THEIR ATTN AND PROVIDED ANOTHER CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO GYY FROM 12000 FT TO 9000 FT, WE BEGAN TO PAINT A LINE OF ISOLATED CELLS ON THE RADAR. WE REQUESTED VECTORS TO AVOID SOME MODERATE BUILDUPS AND WE WERE EXPERIENCING LIGHT CHOP IN THE DSCNT. WE LEVELED AT 9000 FT ABOUT 30 NM SW OF GYY AND CONTINUED TO MANEUVER AROUND SMALL CELLS. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 5000 FT AND THE COPLT SELECTED 5000 FT IN THE PRESELECT WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. WE CONTINUED DSCNT AND AT 5500 FT THE CTLR STATED, 'ARE YOU DSNDING TO 5000 FT BECAUSE YOU ARE CLRED TO 7000 FT.' DUE TO THE COCKPIT WORKLOAD AND DISTANCE FROM RWY, AND FLT CONDITION, I DID NOT QUESTION HIS STATEMENT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE SAID THE ABOVE, HE THEN SAID, 'YOU ARE CLRED TO 5000 FT' AND WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT AND CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I MISSED THE 7000 FT CALL AND SO DID MY COPLT, AND NEITHER I NOR MY COPLT SELECTED 7000 FT IN THE ALT PRESELECT. I FEEL THAT THE CTLR THOUGHT THAT HE CLRED US TO 7000 FT, BUT DIDN'T MAKE THE CALL OR IF HE DID, SOMEONE ELSE ANSWERED THE CALL, NOT OUR CREW.

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.