Narrative:

During approach phase at ord, controller cleared us from 7000 ft to 4000 ft. First officer read back 4000 ft and placed it in the altitude alert window. I then pointed at, and confirmed, 4000 ft. After flying level at 4000 ft for approximately 5 mins, controller told us our assigned altitude was 5000 ft and to climb back to 5000 ft. We complied and the rest of the approach and landing were non eventful. An FAA safety inspector was riding in the jump seat and he seemed to side with the controller that an altitude deviation had occurred. My question to him was, why had he not spoken up? This was also the same inspector who left his oxygen selector in 100% causing a significant delay on our next leg while the crew oxygen bottle was changed. Capts should not assume that FAA safety inspectors are all seasoned airmen, and brief accordingly. Most of the ones I see are maintenance technicians.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR QUESTIONS WHETHER THEY WERE NOT AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THAT WAS THE ASSERTION OF THE CTLR AND AN ONBOARD INSPECTOR.

Narrative: DURING APCH PHASE AT ORD, CTLR CLRED US FROM 7000 FT TO 4000 FT. FO READ BACK 4000 FT AND PLACED IT IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. I THEN POINTED AT, AND CONFIRMED, 4000 FT. AFTER FLYING LEVEL AT 4000 FT FOR APPROX 5 MINS, CTLR TOLD US OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS 5000 FT AND TO CLB BACK TO 5000 FT. WE COMPLIED AND THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NON EVENTFUL. AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR WAS RIDING IN THE JUMP SEAT AND HE SEEMED TO SIDE WITH THE CTLR THAT AN ALTDEV HAD OCCURRED. MY QUESTION TO HIM WAS, WHY HAD HE NOT SPOKEN UP? THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME INSPECTOR WHO LEFT HIS OXYGEN SELECTOR IN 100% CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT DELAY ON OUR NEXT LEG WHILE THE CREW OXYGEN BOTTLE WAS CHANGED. CAPTS SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT FAA SAFETY INSPECTORS ARE ALL SEASONED AIRMEN, AND BRIEF ACCORDINGLY. MOST OF THE ONES I SEE ARE MAINT TECHNICIANS.

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.