Narrative:

Normal departure from pit runway 28R with a right turn direct to ellwood city VOR. Normal climb through FL180 with clearance to FL230. Radar (WX on board radar) indicated a thunderstorm in the vicinity of ellwood city VOR. Captain requested an easterly right turn direct to slate run VOR. Center cleared our flight direct slate run, maintain FL230. As we were climbing through FL210 (approximately) ATC stated that we were given an amended clearance of FL200 slow to 250 KTS traffic being a turbojet, our direction, passing FL200 5 mi ahead. We acknowledged stating that we did not hear/receive FL200 clearance or speed reduction. We further stated that we were leaving FL210-500 for FL200 and were slowing to 250 KTS. At FL200 and 250 KTS, traffic was observed at 11:30 position, 4 mi ahead at approximately our altitude. ATC controller was replaced, captain asked that voice recorder circuit breaker be pulled. Flight continued to destination (alb) without incident. Captain initiated safety report regarding this incident. Supplemental information from acn 122010: center called and issued a new altitude, which was garbled. I asked for a repeat and was told to maintain FL200. We were already past FL220 at this time. Supplemental information from acn 121951. During our maneuver to the new heading an aircraft behind and below us was catching up to us and was asked to level off at FL200. The controller was not clear and she was questioned by aircraft #2. She gave a very unprofessional remark and the aircraft continued to climb past FL200. The controller was not specific in her clearance to the second aircraft to level at FL200 and when questioned should have replied to level off. She never asked either aircraft to change heading, nor did she express any concern to us with reference to the position of aircraft #2.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT OVERTAKES MLG IN CLIMB WHEN BOTH ARE CLEARED DIRECT TO SLT RESULTING IN LOSS OF SEPARATION AND OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: NORMAL DEP FROM PIT RWY 28R WITH A RIGHT TURN DIRECT TO ELLWOOD CITY VOR. NORMAL CLIMB THROUGH FL180 WITH CLRNC TO FL230. RADAR (WX ON BOARD RADAR) INDICATED A TSTM IN THE VICINITY OF ELLWOOD CITY VOR. CAPT REQUESTED AN EASTERLY RIGHT TURN DIRECT TO SLATE RUN VOR. CENTER CLRED OUR FLT DIRECT SLATE RUN, MAINTAIN FL230. AS WE WERE CLIMBING THROUGH FL210 (APPROX) ATC STATED THAT WE WERE GIVEN AN AMENDED CLRNC OF FL200 SLOW TO 250 KTS TFC BEING A TURBOJET, OUR DIRECTION, PASSING FL200 5 MI AHEAD. WE ACKNOWLEDGED STATING THAT WE DID NOT HEAR/RECEIVE FL200 CLRNC OR SPEED REDUCTION. WE FURTHER STATED THAT WE WERE LEAVING FL210-500 FOR FL200 AND WERE SLOWING TO 250 KTS. AT FL200 AND 250 KTS, TFC WAS OBSERVED AT 11:30 POSITION, 4 MI AHEAD AT APPROX OUR ALT. ATC CTLR WAS REPLACED, CAPT ASKED THAT VOICE RECORDER CIRCUIT BREAKER BE PULLED. FLT CONTINUED TO DEST (ALB) WITHOUT INCIDENT. CAPT INITIATED SAFETY REPORT REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 122010: CTR CALLED AND ISSUED A NEW ALT, WHICH WAS GARBLED. I ASKED FOR A REPEAT AND WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL200. WE WERE ALREADY PAST FL220 AT THIS TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 121951. DURING OUR MANEUVER TO THE NEW HDG AN ACFT BEHIND AND BELOW US WAS CATCHING UP TO US AND WAS ASKED TO LEVEL OFF AT FL200. THE CTLR WAS NOT CLEAR AND SHE WAS QUESTIONED BY ACFT #2. SHE GAVE A VERY UNPROFESSIONAL REMARK AND THE ACFT CONTINUED TO CLIMB PAST FL200. THE CTLR WAS NOT SPECIFIC IN HER CLRNC TO THE SECOND ACFT TO LEVEL AT FL200 AND WHEN QUESTIONED SHOULD HAVE REPLIED TO LEVEL OFF. SHE NEVER ASKED EITHER ACFT TO CHANGE HDG, NOR DID SHE EXPRESS ANY CONCERN TO US WITH REFERENCE TO THE POSITION OF ACFT #2.

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.