N90 controller challenges B727 flight crew for not descending on alleged acknowledged clearance.

Attributes
ACN	445866
Time
Date	199908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 10974 flight time type : 974
ASRS Report	445866
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	446106
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

ZNY cleared our flight to 7000 ft MSL on a radar vector. There were a lot of blocked radio xmissions on the frequency. The controller came back and asked us what altitude we were at. We said 7000 ft. Angrily he snapped he had cleared us to 4000 ft and said he got our readback and that it was on tape. All 3 crew members agreed we never got the clearance to descend to 4000 ft. The controller seemed overloaded and stressed out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CTLR CHALLENGES B727 FLC FOR NOT DSNDING ON ALLEGED ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC.

Narrative: ZNY CLRED OUR FLT TO 7000 FT MSL ON A RADAR VECTOR. THERE WERE A LOT OF BLOCKED RADIO XMISSIONS ON THE FREQ. THE CTLR CAME BACK AND ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. WE SAID 7000 FT. ANGRILY HE SNAPPED HE HAD CLRED US TO 4000 FT AND SAID HE GOT OUR READBACK AND THAT IT WAS ON TAPE. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS AGREED WE NEVER GOT THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 4000 FT. THE CTLR SEEMED OVERLOADED AND STRESSED OUT.

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.