Mlt climbed to wrong altitude and required an immediate turn and climb to maintain separation with a...

Attributes
ACN	121942
Time
Date	198909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gve
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	121942
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : developmental
ASRS Report	122908
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was assigned to administer OJT to a developmental. After handoff from dca on mlt X, dca advised he had a bad transmitter. I didn't think the transmitter was that bad but the pilot's english was very limited. He reported on the frequency climbing to FL210, and was subsequently cleared to FL270. The pilot apparently (from the tape) read back FL370 which wasn't caught. Mlt X reported leaving FL260 without being asked to. (This would indicate to me that he was aware his assigned altitude was FL270. My trnee had already accomplished handoff to R32.) about 3 mins later, R32 came to R60 position and asked if we were still talking to mlt X. I told him I didn't think so but I called him, and to my surprise he answered and said (on tape) he was leaving FL300 for FL270. I turned mlt X to a 270 degree heading and asked him to expedite thru FL310. I was told that mlt X and air carrier Y passed with 5.1 mi laterally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT CLIMBED TO WRONG ALT AND REQUIRED AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND CLIMB TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO ADMINISTER OJT TO A DEVELOPMENTAL. AFTER HANDOFF FROM DCA ON MLT X, DCA ADVISED HE HAD A BAD TRANSMITTER. I DIDN'T THINK THE TRANSMITTER WAS THAT BAD BUT THE PLT'S ENGLISH WAS VERY LIMITED. HE REPORTED ON THE FREQ CLIMBING TO FL210, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO FL270. THE PLT APPARENTLY (FROM THE TAPE) READ BACK FL370 WHICH WASN'T CAUGHT. MLT X REPORTED LEAVING FL260 WITHOUT BEING ASKED TO. (THIS WOULD INDICATE TO ME THAT HE WAS AWARE HIS ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL270. MY TRNEE HAD ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED HANDOFF TO R32.) ABOUT 3 MINS LATER, R32 CAME TO R60 POSITION AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL TALKING TO MLT X. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T THINK SO BUT I CALLED HIM, AND TO MY SURPRISE HE ANSWERED AND SAID (ON TAPE) HE WAS LEAVING FL300 FOR FL270. I TURNED MLT X TO A 270 DEG HDG AND ASKED HIM TO EXPEDITE THRU FL310. I WAS TOLD THAT MLT X AND ACR Y PASSED WITH 5.1 MI LATERALLY.

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.

Mlt climbed to wrong altitude and required an immediate turn and climb to maintain separation with another aircraft.