Narrative:

We received clearance for takeoff left turn to 110 and climb to 5000. After takeoff we were told to contact departure control, for which there are 3 frequencys at O'hare. I believe we used 125.4 but should have been on 125.0. The controller acknowledged only with 'radar contact'. After several minutes at 5000' on 110 heading, and no further instructions from departure control, we queried controller and he told us to switch to 125.0. The new controller told us he had been trying to contact us for 25 mi, turn to 040 and climb to 13,000, which I repeated to him. During our climbing turn at about 5600, the controller asked what we were doing. I repeated heading 040 and climb to 13,000. He told us he had issued no climb clearance and to maintain 5000. We immediately started a descent, but had only reached 5400 when he told us to climb and maintain 13,000. After clearance was reconfirmed we again started to climb. Before we reached 13,000 we received at least 2 intermediate level offs, each within 1000' of the altitude he wanted us to level. A contributing factor may have been fatigue of both flight crew and controller. It was the second flight for the crew after a midnight west coast departure. I do not know how long the controllers had been on duty or when their shifts started. The first controller may also have been so busy he didn't have time for, or forgot about, our flight which was not in his area. Supplemental information from acn 124934: I believe this kind of occurrence could be prevented with better ATC facs and/or fpl controllers. Because of the handoffs and several vectors and amended limb to/maintain instructions, it was quite obvious this controller was 'maxed' out. This particular trip is very stressful due to the fact that it leaves lax just after midnight local time, arrives ord early am local and is on the ground for 1 hour and goes on to bos. Strictly from a physiological standpoint the body starts to shut down after you've landed from flying all night, but you are expected to stay alert for the 1 hour of ground time then do another leg which arrives bos late am local time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NUMEROUS ADJUSTMENTS TO ALT CLEARED TO ON DEP BY WDB ACR. REPORTERS CITE FATIGUE AND HEARBACK PROBLEMS COMPOUNDING DEP PROC.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED CLRNC FOR TKOF LEFT TURN TO 110 AND CLIMB TO 5000. AFTER TKOF WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL, FOR WHICH THERE ARE 3 FREQS AT O'HARE. I BELIEVE WE USED 125.4 BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON 125.0. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED ONLY WITH 'RADAR CONTACT'. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES AT 5000' ON 110 HDG, AND NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM DEP CTL, WE QUERIED CTLR AND HE TOLD US TO SWITCH TO 125.0. THE NEW CTLR TOLD US HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US FOR 25 MI, TURN TO 040 AND CLIMB TO 13,000, WHICH I REPEATED TO HIM. DURING OUR CLIMBING TURN AT ABOUT 5600, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. I REPEATED HDG 040 AND CLIMB TO 13,000. HE TOLD US HE HAD ISSUED NO CLIMB CLRNC AND TO MAINTAIN 5000. WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSCNT, BUT HAD ONLY REACHED 5400 WHEN HE TOLD US TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 13,000. AFTER CLRNC WAS RECONFIRMED WE AGAIN STARTED TO CLIMB. BEFORE WE REACHED 13,000 WE RECEIVED AT LEAST 2 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFFS, EACH WITHIN 1000' OF THE ALT HE WANTED US TO LEVEL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MAY HAVE BEEN FATIGUE OF BOTH FLT CREW AND CTLR. IT WAS THE SECOND FLT FOR THE CREW AFTER A MIDNIGHT WEST COAST DEP. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THE CTLRS HAD BEEN ON DUTY OR WHEN THEIR SHIFTS STARTED. THE FIRST CTLR MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN SO BUSY HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR, OR FORGOT ABOUT, OUR FLT WHICH WAS NOT IN HIS AREA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 124934: I BELIEVE THIS KIND OF OCCURRENCE COULD BE PREVENTED WITH BETTER ATC FACS AND/OR FPL CTLRS. BECAUSE OF THE HANDOFFS AND SEVERAL VECTORS AND AMENDED LIMB TO/MAINTAIN INSTRUCTIONS, IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS THIS CTLR WAS 'MAXED' OUT. THIS PARTICULAR TRIP IS VERY STRESSFUL DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT LEAVES LAX JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT LOCAL TIME, ARRIVES ORD EARLY AM LOCAL AND IS ON THE GND FOR 1 HR AND GOES ON TO BOS. STRICTLY FROM A PHYSIOLOGICAL STANDPOINT THE BODY STARTS TO SHUT DOWN AFTER YOU'VE LANDED FROM FLYING ALL NIGHT, BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO STAY ALERT FOR THE 1 HR OF GND TIME THEN DO ANOTHER LEG WHICH ARRIVES BOS LATE AM LOCAL TIME.

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.