Flight crew of cpr light transport claim they heard a clearance to FL410. They read it back and when not challenged climbed to 410. Later ATC disputed the clearance but then assigned FL410.

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Attributes
ACN	123825
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyr
State Reference	NF
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	123825
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	123826
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In a flight from goose bay, canada to keflavik, iceland, we reached our cruising altitude of 370. Later I heard climb to 410, my copilot heard it and 2 of our passenger. We at this time made our position and reported climbing to 410. The controller at this time acknowledged climb to 410. A few mins later we got a transmission questioning who authorized us to 410. We told them we assumed it was goose bay (we are not sure which control did it). We were allowed to climb to the wrong altitude and stay there for several minutes endangering the lives of everybody on board. This really concerns me, why didn't the controller stop us from climbing if he did not clear us? He just acknowledged that we were combing to 410 and didn't question it! The reason behind reading back instructions is so that if there is a misunderstanding you can be corrected and stopped from climbing to the wrong altitude. Controllers need to know which altitude you can go to. If they read it back they have to be sure that's where we can go to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CPR LTT CLAIM THEY HEARD A CLRNC TO FL410. THEY READ IT BACK AND WHEN NOT CHALLENGED CLIMBED TO 410. LATER ATC DISPUTED THE CLRNC BUT THEN ASSIGNED FL410.

Narrative: IN A FLT FROM GOOSE BAY, CANADA TO KEFLAVIK, ICELAND, WE REACHED OUR CRUISING ALT OF 370. LATER I HEARD CLIMB TO 410, MY COPLT HEARD IT AND 2 OF OUR PAX. WE AT THIS TIME MADE OUR POSITION AND REPORTED CLIMBING TO 410. THE CTLR AT THIS TIME ACKNOWLEDGED CLIMB TO 410. A FEW MINS LATER WE GOT A XMISSION QUESTIONING WHO AUTHORIZED US TO 410. WE TOLD THEM WE ASSUMED IT WAS GOOSE BAY (WE ARE NOT SURE WHICH CONTROL DID IT). WE WERE ALLOWED TO CLIMB TO THE WRONG ALT AND STAY THERE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF EVERYBODY ON BOARD. THIS REALLY CONCERNS ME, WHY DIDN'T THE CTLR STOP US FROM CLIMBING IF HE DID NOT CLEAR US? HE JUST ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE COMBING TO 410 AND DIDN'T QUESTION IT! THE REASON BEHIND READING BACK INSTRUCTIONS IS SO THAT IF THERE IS A MISUNDERSTANDING YOU CAN BE CORRECTED AND STOPPED FROM CLIMBING TO THE WRONG ALT. CTLRS NEED TO KNOW WHICH ALT YOU CAN GO TO. IF THEY READ IT BACK THEY HAVE TO BE SURE THAT'S WHERE WE CAN GO TO.

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.