Altitude excursion by a CL65 PIC when following a STAR arrival procedure into iad, va.

Attributes
ACN	509100
Time
Date	200104
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pct.tracon
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : pretzl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13200 flight time type : 1340
ASRS Report	509100
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the pretzl 1 STAR for runway 1R and just crossed mulnr at 10000 ft and 250 KIAS. Started descent to cross sigbe at 7000 ft per STAR. About 8500 ft, dulles approach said 'looks like you are descending, climb back up to 10000 ft, no, climb to 9000 ft, I will have lower shortly.' I am uncertain if my clearance was fly the transition or fly and descend via the transition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION BY A CL65 PIC WHEN FOLLOWING A STAR ARR PROC INTO IAD, VA.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE PRETZL 1 STAR FOR RWY 1R AND JUST CROSSED MULNR AT 10000 FT AND 250 KIAS. STARTED DSCNT TO CROSS SIGBE AT 7000 FT PER STAR. ABOUT 8500 FT, DULLES APCH SAID 'LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE DSNDING, CLB BACK UP TO 10000 FT, NO, CLB TO 9000 FT, I WILL HAVE LOWER SHORTLY.' I AM UNCERTAIN IF MY CLRNC WAS FLY THE TRANSITION OR FLY AND DSND VIA THE TRANSITION.

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.