Narrative:

Leveling at 29000' we were transferred to another sector of ZJX. I left the throttle at climb awaiting the radio change and possible climb. Captain checked in and center asked, 'is FL290 your final?' captain replied, 'no, it's 330.' center said, 'stand by.' I began retarding the throttles as the aircraft was accelerating through mach .83. I also tuned in irq for arwy information as were on a vector heading but west of our flight plan. No sooner had I set cruise power than center called and I heard FL330. The captain acknowledged the call. I reset the altitude alerter to FL330, started the autoplt into a climb, rearmed altitude sel and called for climb power. I then readjusted the pitch for 1500 FPM climb, then continued establishing my position re flight plan arwy. We were still on a vector. The next call from center came as we were climbing through 31500 or 31600'. I heard, '...you were only cleared to FL310.' I immediately started leveling the aircraft via autoplt and then rolled the pitch command down. Center was very excited and told us to descend to FL310 immediately. I think she said it twice. The aircraft rolled over at about 31800' and no sooner did we get to FL310 than we were cleared back to FL330. In retrospect the captain remembers being cleared to FL310. I clearly remember hearing FL330. Quality assurance states that the captain read back FL310. I do not doubt a tape, however I heard FL330. It would be interesting to hear that tape. It might also be noted that the altitude alerter is located on the lower right part of the fwd center console. The captain cannot see it from his seat through the throttles west/O moving forward.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FILED FL330, LEVEL AT FL290. ZJX CLEARED ACFT TO FL310, PNF REPEATED FL310. FO FLYING ACFT ON AUTOPLT UNDERSTOOD FL330 AND CLIMBED TO FL316 BEFORE ZJX CALLED. MAXIMUM ALT FL318. FLT RETURNED TO FL310.

Narrative: LEVELING AT 29000' WE WERE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER SECTOR OF ZJX. I LEFT THE THROTTLE AT CLB AWAITING THE RADIO CHANGE AND POSSIBLE CLB. CAPT CHKED IN AND CENTER ASKED, 'IS FL290 YOUR FINAL?' CAPT REPLIED, 'NO, IT'S 330.' CENTER SAID, 'STAND BY.' I BEGAN RETARDING THE THROTTLES AS THE ACFT WAS ACCELERATING THROUGH MACH .83. I ALSO TUNED IN IRQ FOR ARWY INFO AS WERE ON A VECTOR HDG BUT W OF OUR FLT PLAN. NO SOONER HAD I SET CRUISE PWR THAN CENTER CALLED AND I HEARD FL330. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL. I RESET THE ALT ALERTER TO FL330, STARTED THE AUTOPLT INTO A CLB, REARMED ALT SEL AND CALLED FOR CLB PWR. I THEN READJUSTED THE PITCH FOR 1500 FPM CLB, THEN CONTINUED ESTABLISHING MY POS RE FLT PLAN ARWY. WE WERE STILL ON A VECTOR. THE NEXT CALL FROM CENTER CAME AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 31500 OR 31600'. I HEARD, '...YOU WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL310.' I IMMEDIATELY STARTED LEVELING THE ACFT VIA AUTOPLT AND THEN ROLLED THE PITCH COMMAND DOWN. CENTER WAS VERY EXCITED AND TOLD US TO DSND TO FL310 IMMEDIATELY. I THINK SHE SAID IT TWICE. THE ACFT ROLLED OVER AT ABOUT 31800' AND NO SOONER DID WE GET TO FL310 THAN WE WERE CLRED BACK TO FL330. IN RETROSPECT THE CAPT REMEMBERS BEING CLRED TO FL310. I CLEARLY REMEMBER HEARING FL330. QUALITY ASSURANCE STATES THAT THE CAPT READ BACK FL310. I DO NOT DOUBT A TAPE, HOWEVER I HEARD FL330. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT TAPE. IT MIGHT ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE ALT ALERTER IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER RIGHT PART OF THE FWD CENTER CONSOLE. THE CAPT CANNOT SEE IT FROM HIS SEAT THROUGH THE THROTTLES W/O MOVING FORWARD.

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.