Approach controller issued wrong altitude clearance to air carrier medium large transport. Altitude ...

Attributes
ACN	85170
Time
Date	198804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	85170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 290 flight time total : 4500
ASRS Report	85242
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Received descent clearance by chicago approach control (southeast sector for runway 4R) from 10000 to 6000'. Approach control advised us to confirm ourselves at 7000'. We said we had been cleared to 6000'. ATC said, ok, stay at 6000'. Upon landing at O'hare I telephoned approach control and spoke with the supervisor of that sector. He was aware of the incident and indicated that the controller involved was as concerned about it as we were and didn't know why he ever cleared us to 6000'. There were no resulting conflicts. Tapes were not pulled to review incident, at least not to my knowledge, but doubts still exist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR ISSUED WRONG ALT CLRNC TO ACR MLG. ALT OVERSHOT IN DESCENT.

Narrative: RECEIVED DSCNT CLRNC BY CHICAGO APCH CTL (SE SECTOR FOR RWY 4R) FROM 10000 TO 6000'. APCH CTL ADVISED US TO CONFIRM OURSELVES AT 7000'. WE SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 6000'. ATC SAID, OK, STAY AT 6000'. UPON LNDG AT O'HARE I TELEPHONED APCH CTL AND SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR OF THAT SECTOR. HE WAS AWARE OF THE INCIDENT AND INDICATED THAT THE CTLR INVOLVED WAS AS CONCERNED ABOUT IT AS WE WERE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE EVER CLRED US TO 6000'. THERE WERE NO RESULTING CONFLICTS. TAPES WERE NOT PULLED TO REVIEW INCIDENT, AT LEAST NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT DOUBTS STILL EXIST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Approach controller issued wrong altitude clearance to air carrier medium large transport. Altitude overshot in descent.