Narrative:

Altitude deviation after clearance received. Female controller with very thick german accent issued clearance to FL330. First officer confirmed FL330. Through FL257 she came back issuing immediate descent to FL250. We queried her clearance to FL330. She said she never issued clearance and had handed us off to center frequency of 125.330. Apparently she was stepped on while she issued the frequency change and all we heard was .330. However the first officer had read back FL330 and asked if a 2000 ft rate of climb was still required. She replied, 'pilot's discretion out of FL250.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 CARGO CREW ACCEPTS A CLB FROM FL250 TO FL330 WHEN THE CTLR'S FREQ CHANGE CALL WAS CLIPPED AND THE CREW HEARD ONLY THE PT 330 FROM CTLR AT EDFF, FO.

Narrative: ALTDEV AFTER CLRNC RECEIVED. FEMALE CTLR WITH VERY THICK GERMAN ACCENT ISSUED CLRNC TO FL330. FO CONFIRMED FL330. THROUGH FL257 SHE CAME BACK ISSUING IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO FL250. WE QUERIED HER CLRNC TO FL330. SHE SAID SHE NEVER ISSUED CLRNC AND HAD HANDED US OFF TO CTR FREQ OF 125.330. APPARENTLY SHE WAS STEPPED ON WHILE SHE ISSUED THE FREQ CHANGE AND ALL WE HEARD WAS .330. HOWEVER THE FO HAD READ BACK FL330 AND ASKED IF A 2000 FT RATE OF CLB WAS STILL REQUIRED. SHE REPLIED, 'PLT'S DISCRETION OUT OF FL250.'

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.