B757 experienced confusion with ATC directed descent from FL390 to FL310 in ZOB airspace.

Attributes
ACN	604793
Time
Date	200401
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tol.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	604793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were cruising at FL390 talking to ZOB and were given a clearance to cross 60 NM east of gsh (goshen, in) VOR at FL310. We then repeated the clearance to ZOB and then set the FMS on the B757 to comply with the altitude and crossing. After approximately 10 mins, we were handed off to another ZOB controller. Upon checking in I repeated our previously given clearance to cross 60 NM east of gsh at FL310, and this controller went ballistic on us and basically accused us of lying to him. We had not started our descent to FL310 yet and therefore was not a collision conflict. To me, this was simply a miscom between 2 separate controllers and ourselves. We were told the tapes were going to be reviewed and that repercussions may come forth after. We never violated our clearance and feel that any problem that may have come from our descent to FL310 was averted by our reporting our clearance to the next controller as required!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 EXPERIENCED CONFUSION WITH ATC DIRECTED DSCNT FROM FL390 TO FL310 IN ZOB AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL390 TALKING TO ZOB AND WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS 60 NM E OF GSH (GOSHEN, IN) VOR AT FL310. WE THEN REPEATED THE CLRNC TO ZOB AND THEN SET THE FMS ON THE B757 TO COMPLY WITH THE ALT AND XING. AFTER APPROX 10 MINS, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER ZOB CTLR. UPON CHKING IN I REPEATED OUR PREVIOUSLY GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 60 NM E OF GSH AT FL310, AND THIS CTLR WENT BALLISTIC ON US AND BASICALLY ACCUSED US OF LYING TO HIM. WE HAD NOT STARTED OUR DSCNT TO FL310 YET AND THEREFORE WAS NOT A COLLISION CONFLICT. TO ME, THIS WAS SIMPLY A MISCOM BTWN 2 SEPARATE CTLRS AND OURSELVES. WE WERE TOLD THE TAPES WERE GOING TO BE REVIEWED AND THAT REPERCUSSIONS MAY COME FORTH AFTER. WE NEVER VIOLATED OUR CLRNC AND FEEL THAT ANY PROB THAT MAY HAVE COME FROM OUR DSCNT TO FL310 WAS AVERTED BY OUR RPTING OUR CLRNC TO THE NEXT CTLR AS REQUIRED!

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.