Altitude questioned after frequency change in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	474760
Time
Date	200005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : jaxsn
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j14.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	474760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Level cruise FL330 on J14 to crewe, given descent to cross jaxsn at FL240. The aircraft FMC did not show jaxsn along the route, did not change altitude until verified route. Jaxsn was not listed on flight papers. Found jaxsn on hi en route chat, programmed FMC to a point 33 mi before crewe to represent jaxsn. Then changed altitude to FL240 and descended. After level FL240 at jaxsn given ATC frequency change. New controller said verify altitude FL240 not FL250. Replied roger given descent to FL240 and level. No further word from the controller. Then given another descent lower several mins later. No conflicting traffic in the area. To prevent confusion should have set new altitude initially then verify route before starting down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT QUESTIONED AFTER FREQ CHANGE IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: LEVEL CRUISE FL330 ON J14 TO CREWE, GIVEN DSCNT TO CROSS JAXSN AT FL240. THE ACFT FMC DID NOT SHOW JAXSN ALONG THE RTE, DID NOT CHANGE ALT UNTIL VERIFIED RTE. JAXSN WAS NOT LISTED ON FLT PAPERS. FOUND JAXSN ON HI ENRTE CHAT, PROGRAMMED FMC TO A POINT 33 MI BEFORE CREWE TO REPRESENT JAXSN. THEN CHANGED ALT TO FL240 AND DSNDED. AFTER LEVEL FL240 AT JAXSN GIVEN ATC FREQ CHANGE. NEW CTLR SAID VERIFY ALT FL240 NOT FL250. REPLIED ROGER GIVEN DSCNT TO FL240 AND LEVEL. NO FURTHER WORD FROM THE CTLR. THEN GIVEN ANOTHER DSCNT LOWER SEVERAL MINS LATER. NO CONFLICTING TFC IN THE AREA. TO PREVENT CONFUSION SHOULD HAVE SET NEW ALT INITIALLY THEN VERIFY RTE BEFORE STARTING DOWN.

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.