CL65 FLT CREW IS QUESTIONED BY ZDC CTLR REGARDING DSCNT AND ASSIGNED ALT INBOUND TO PHL.

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WE WERE ENRTE FROM ATL TO PHL AT 29000 FT ON THE DUPONT FOUR ARR. I WAS THE PF AT OUR COMPANY. WHEN THE ACFT IS IN RANGE; THE PNF WILL DELEGATE RADIO CTL WITH ATC TO THE PF SO THE ATIS CAN BE OBTAINED AND THE COMPANY CAN BE ADVISED OF OUR ARR. I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE #1 RADIO; COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. THE CAPT WAS OFF THE FREQ. WE WERE APPROX ON THE FAK 042 DEG RADIAL 65 DME AT 29000 FT. CTR CALLED; 'ACFT X; DSND AND MAINTAIN 14000 FT.' I RESPONDED; 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 14000 FT; ACFT X.' THERE WERE NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS OR ANY INDICATION OF BLOCKED COM. I THOUGHT THIS WAS REASONABLE BECAUSE WE NORMALLY EXPECT TO CROSS JAYBO AT 15000 FT. I BEGAN MY DSCNT; THE CAPT RETURNED TO THE FREQ. I INFORMED HIM OF OUR DSCNT TO 14000 FT. WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT. AFTER DSNDING NEARLY 7000 FT; CTR CALLED WITH A FREQ CHANGE AND AT THAT TIME QUESTIONED WHAT ALT WE'RE AT. WE RESPONDED; 'ACFT X DSNDING 14000 FT.' CTR RESPONDED BY SAYING; 'ACFT X I DID NOT CLR YOU TO DSND.' HE TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 22000 FT AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AFTER OUR FREQ CHANGE; THE NEXT CTLR GAVE US ANOTHER DSCNT ON THE ARR. WE COMPLETED THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT EVENT FREE. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS WAS CTLR ERROR DUE TO OVERLOADING OR FATIGUE AND I DID NOT APPRECIATE HIS CONDUCT IN THIS MATTER. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE TAPE IF I AM WRONG; THEN I APOLOGIZE; BUT I DON'T THINK SO. I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE CTLR BEING OVERLOADED AND POSSIBLY GIVING OUR ACFT INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE INTENDED FOR ANOTHER ACFT. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ACARS IN OUR ACFT WOULD ALLOW BOTH PLT TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE RADIO AND THEREFORE WOULD GREATLY REDUCE THE CHANCES OF MISCOM.