Cpr small transport altitude deviation overshot.

Attributes
ACN	104398
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute airway : v157
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	104398
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight planned for alb to hpn, alb 2 departure to intercept V157 to ign, planned for 14000'. On climb out crew read back clearance to climb to 14000'. Passing 10700' controller said, 'maintain 10000', contact ZBW on XXXX.' when queried as to whether he wanted us to go down to 10000', controller insisted we were cleared to 10000'. We initiated descent to 10000', switched controllers and were cleared to 14000'. Whether or not we were initially cleared to 14000' is not the issue. We read back a clearance, we were not corrected, and we proceeded on the assumption that we were cleared. I have been corrected by controllers for inaccurate readbacks many times. This time we were not, if indeed it was read back incorrectly. 2 of us in the cockpit heard '14000,' one of us acknowledged it and put it in the altitude alerter. What more can we do? This appears to be a case of expectations. Something was expected and the mind heard what was expected rather than what was actually said. But the reason we read back clrncs is so that everyone is sure of what is happening.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT.

Narrative: FLT PLANNED FOR ALB TO HPN, ALB 2 DEP TO INTERCEPT V157 TO IGN, PLANNED FOR 14000'. ON CLBOUT CREW READ BACK CLRNC TO CLB TO 14000'. PASSING 10700' CTLR SAID, 'MAINTAIN 10000', CONTACT ZBW ON XXXX.' WHEN QUERIED AS TO WHETHER HE WANTED US TO GO DOWN TO 10000', CTLR INSISTED WE WERE CLRED TO 10000'. WE INITIATED DSCNT TO 10000', SWITCHED CTLRS AND WERE CLRED TO 14000'. WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO 14000' IS NOT THE ISSUE. WE READ BACK A CLRNC, WE WERE NOT CORRECTED, AND WE PROCEEDED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE CLRED. I HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY CTLRS FOR INACCURATE READBACKS MANY TIMES. THIS TIME WE WERE NOT, IF INDEED IT WAS READ BACK INCORRECTLY. 2 OF US IN THE COCKPIT HEARD '14000,' ONE OF US ACKNOWLEDGED IT AND PUT IT IN THE ALT ALERTER. WHAT MORE CAN WE DO? THIS APPEARS TO BE A CASE OF EXPECTATIONS. SOMETHING WAS EXPECTED AND THE MIND HEARD WHAT WAS EXPECTED RATHER THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. BUT THE REASON WE READ BACK CLRNCS IS SO THAT EVERYONE IS SURE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.

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.