AN MD80 CREW; DSNDING INTO SLC; OVERSHOT PUBLISHED STAR ALT RESTR.

Narrative

ON SPANE 4 ARR TO SLC AN ACR Y AIRLINER AHEAD RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM ZLC TO CROSS SPANE INTXN AT 15000 FT. ACR Y QUERIED THE CTLR SINCE THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PUBLISHED EXPECTED ALT ON THE ARR. THE CTLR EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A RWY CHANGE AT SLC. 4-5 MINS LATER; WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS SPANE AT 15000 FT. THE FO SET AND ACKNOWLEDGED 15000 FT AND I ACKNOWLEDGED VERBALLY. AS WE APCHED 15000 FT THE CTLR SAID WE SHOULD BE LEVEL AT 16000 FT. WE RESELECTED 16000 FT AND LEVELED THERE PROMPTLY. THE CTLR THEN INDICATED THAT 15000 FT WAS APPROVED AT OUR DISCRETION; (BUT WE WERE ALREADY LEVEL AT 16000 FT). NO OTHER ACFT OR TERRAIN WAS INVOLVED. WE MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT; BUT THERE WAS NO CONFUSION UNTIL THE 16000 FT ALT WAS STATED BY THE CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 534953: THE FO SET AND CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED 15000 FT. AS WE APCHED 15000 FT THE CTLR SAID WE SHOULD BE LEVEL AT 16000 FT; BUT THAT 15000 FT WAS APPROVED AND WE COULD REMAIN THERE. NO OTHER ACFT WERE INVOLVED.