B777 crew was given an erroneous altitude by the approach controller in lirf class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	481961
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lirf.airport
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 235 flight time total : 16174 flight time type : 440
ASRS Report	481961
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Descending into lirf (rome, italy) rome control cleared us to turn right to 120 degrees and descend to 5000 ft. The captain (PNF) repeated the clearance to turn to 120 degrees and 5000 ft. I heard both xmissions as did the international relief officer/pilot (international relief officer). Once level at 5000 ft, rome control asked us our altitude. The captain stated 5000 ft. Rome control then said we were only cleared to 6000 ft. Captain then responded and said we were cleared to 5000 ft. Rome control said no, we were cleared to 6000 ft. All 3 pilots in our cockpit heard clearance to 5000 ft -- not 6000 ft. Rome control has a history of being cavalier in their altitude assignments. Plus, the captain read back, cleared to 5000 ft, and rome control did not correct this transmission.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 CREW WAS GIVEN AN ERRONEOUS ALT BY THE APCH CTLR IN LIRF CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO LIRF (ROME, ITALY) ROME CTL CLRED US TO TURN R TO 120 DEGS AND DSND TO 5000 FT. THE CAPT (PNF) REPEATED THE CLRNC TO TURN TO 120 DEGS AND 5000 FT. I HEARD BOTH XMISSIONS AS DID THE INTL RELIEF OFFICER/PLT (IRO). ONCE LEVEL AT 5000 FT, ROME CTL ASKED US OUR ALT. THE CAPT STATED 5000 FT. ROME CTL THEN SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 6000 FT. CAPT THEN RESPONDED AND SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. ROME CTL SAID NO, WE WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT. ALL 3 PLTS IN OUR COCKPIT HEARD CLRNC TO 5000 FT -- NOT 6000 FT. ROME CTL HAS A HISTORY OF BEING CAVALIER IN THEIR ALT ASSIGNMENTS. PLUS, THE CAPT READ BACK, CLRED TO 5000 FT, AND ROME CTL DID NOT CORRECT THIS XMISSION.

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.