Controller questions air carrier about his altitude clearance.

Attributes
ACN	479150
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : oxi.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : ckb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	479150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Approaching oxi inbound to chicago we were given a frequency change. I checked on at FL310. The controller asked if we were cleared to FL250. I replied negative. A short while later he came back and said the previous controller said he gave us 35 mi east of oxi at FL250. I told him neither one of us heard it. Either the controller thought he gave it to us and did not, or the first officer missed it while I was making a PA. There was no traffic conflict that I know of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR QUESTIONS ACR ABOUT HIS ALT CLRNC.

Narrative: APCHING OXI INBOUND TO CHICAGO WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. I CHKED ON AT FL310. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO FL250. I REPLIED NEGATIVE. A SHORT WHILE LATER HE CAME BACK AND SAID THE PREVIOUS CTLR SAID HE GAVE US 35 MI E OF OXI AT FL250. I TOLD HIM NEITHER ONE OF US HEARD IT. EITHER THE CTLR THOUGHT HE GAVE IT TO US AND DID NOT, OR THE FO MISSED IT WHILE I WAS MAKING A PA. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT THAT I KNOW OF.

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.