B737 on descent to oak expressed concern with ATC's altitude clearance.

Attributes
ACN	583037
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : volta
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : marvn
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	583037
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	582975
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new 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	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were flying the marvn arrival to oak and were level at 13000 ft MSL. We had been told to cross volta at 13000 ft and had done that. A few mins later, norcal approach emphatically said we needed to be level at 10000 ft in 5 mi. We told the controller we had not previously been given a clearance to 10000 ft, but we then expedited a descent to 10000 ft. The controller later said she thought we had previously been given a clearance to 10000 ft. After we landed, I called the company ATC specialist. He checked on it and later told me he thought it was caused by a misunderstanding between ZOA and norcal approach. I did not observe any traffic conflicts, either visually or on the TCASII.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ON DSCNT TO OAK EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH ATC'S ALT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE MARVN ARR TO OAK AND WERE LEVEL AT 13000 FT MSL. WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO CROSS VOLTA AT 13000 FT AND HAD DONE THAT. A FEW MINS LATER, NORCAL APCH EMPHATICALLY SAID WE NEEDED TO BE LEVEL AT 10000 FT IN 5 MI. WE TOLD THE CTLR WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO 10000 FT, BUT WE THEN EXPEDITED A DSCNT TO 10000 FT. THE CTLR LATER SAID SHE THOUGHT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO 10000 FT. AFTER WE LANDED, I CALLED THE COMPANY ATC SPECIALIST. HE CHKED ON IT AND LATER TOLD ME HE THOUGHT IT WAS CAUSED BY A MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN ZOA AND NORCAL APCH. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY TFC CONFLICTS, EITHER VISUALLY OR ON THE TCASII.

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.