A B727 cargo flight descends at ATC's request to 8000 ft. Second controller sends them back to original altitude saying, 'air carrier xy, you're supposed to be at 9000 ft.' 20 mi northeast pxr, az.

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Attributes
ACN	485350
Time
Date	200009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pxr.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p50.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : fossl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	485350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	485352
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approach controller gave us 'descend and maintain 8000 ft.' first officer set 8000 ft in altitude alerter and I descended to 8000 ft. We both heard and acknowledged 8000 ft. We were handed off to next approach controller who said 'air carrier xy, you're supposed to be at 9000 ft, climb immediately to 9000 ft.' we did, and that was the end of it. I am positive that if they pulled the tapes, it would be verified that we were originally assigned 'descend and maintain 8000 ft.' we then were given a descent to 6000 ft and received a vector to a downwind for runway 8R at phx for landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CARGO FLT DSNDS AT ATC'S REQUEST TO 8000 FT. SECOND CTLR SENDS THEM BACK TO ORIGINAL ALT SAYING, 'ACR XY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 9000 FT.' 20 MI NE PXR, AZ.

Narrative: APCH CTLR GAVE US 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.' FO SET 8000 FT IN ALT ALERTER AND I DSNDED TO 8000 FT. WE BOTH HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGED 8000 FT. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO NEXT APCH CTLR WHO SAID 'ACR XY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 9000 FT, CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 9000 FT.' WE DID, AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT. I AM POSITIVE THAT IF THEY PULLED THE TAPES, IT WOULD BE VERIFIED THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT.' WE THEN WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 6000 FT AND RECEIVED A VECTOR TO A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 8R AT PHX FOR LNDG.

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.