An ATR42 descends without clearance to 2000 ft in N90 airspace. Thought they had clearance.

Attributes
ACN	379610
Time
Date	199709
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	379610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Instructed to descend to 2000 ft from 3000 ft. Read back clearance then moments later was asked what altitude we were at, and then we were told to climb back to 3000 ft. Controller said that he never cleared us to 2000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR42 DSNDS WITHOUT CLRNC TO 2000 FT IN N90 AIRSPACE. THOUGHT THEY HAD CLRNC.

Narrative: INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 2000 FT FROM 3000 FT. READ BACK CLRNC THEN MOMENTS LATER WAS ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE AT, AND THEN WE WERE TOLD TO CLB BACK TO 3000 FT. CTLR SAID THAT HE NEVER CLRED US TO 2000 FT.

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.