MD80 LNDG BWI COMPLIES WITH ATC CLRNC AND THEN QUESTIONED BY PCT.

Narrative

ON THE NOTTINGHAM 5 ARR INTO BWI; WE CHKED IN WITH POTOMAC APCH CTL. I BELIEVE WE WERE AT 10000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 6000 FT AND DIRECT TO DEALE INTXN. WE ASKED THE CTLR WHICH RWY TO EXPECT AT BWI. HE SAID THE NEXT CTLR WOULD ASSIGN A RWY. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE COULD ONLY TAKE US DOWN TO 6000 FT. ON OUR WAY TO DEALE INTXN AND PASSING APPROX 8000 FT; THE SAME CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO 1600 FT AND A HDG OF 330 DEGS. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND WE THEN MADE THE COMMENT TO ONE ANOTHER ABOUT THE DSCNT TO 16000 FT; SINCE THE CTLR HAD JUST TOLD US HE COULD ONLY DSND US TO 6000 FT. AFTER PASSING APPROX 7000 FT AND TURNING TOWARD A HDG OF 330 DEGS FROM 070 DEGS; THE CTLR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC HE ISSUED. HE TOLD US THAT CLRNC WAS FOR ACFT Y. WE TOLD HIM WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND WERE ROGERED. HE THEN TOLD US TO FLY DIRECT TO DEALE INTXN AND DSND TO 6000 FT. WE COMPLIED. WE THEN WERE HANDED OFF TO THE FINAL CTLR. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 607312: ON THE OUTBOUND LEG FLT YYYY TO MIA; WE WERE TRYING TO GET A RIDE RPT AND THE CTLR CALLED US ACFT Y.