Narrative:

We were cleared from 11000 to 13000' from ZJX. I was flying and the first officer put 13000' in the altitude selector. I climbed to 13000'. After about 2 mins the controller asked what our altitude was, and when we told him, he said we were only cleared to 12000'. We were both positive he had given and we had read back 13000'. The controller said there was no traffic conflict and he gave us a higher altitude. The rest of the flight proceeded west/O incident. Supplemental information from acn 130647: the captain picked up the microphone and recommended that the controller pull the tapes and review them because both of us were absolutely certain that we had received a clearance to 13000' from him. Over the course of the next several mins on the frequency, the controller initiated 3 separate xmissions stating his desire not to pull the tapes, and that since there was no conflict it would be better to let it drop. After his first transmission, I responded, 'roger.' the second transmission basically restated the first and ended with, 'you know what I mean?' to that one I responded 'yes sir.' to the third unsolicited transmission in which he made reference to the fact that if the tapes were pulled and we (the flight crew) had made an error, someone would pursue it, the captain responded 'roger.' over the next few mins on the frequency there were no xmissions for us. Our flight # now becomes important (xyz). The controller made a frequency change transmission to a (same company) xyp. I listened, heard no response, and knowing it is not uncommon for #'south to be transposed in this manner, I asked if he meant xyz. We then did this 3 times as he never directly acknowledged our queries, but persisted in calling xyp. Finally he acknowledged the frequency change was for us, but gave no indication that he realized he had persisted in calling us by the wrong call sign.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW AND ARTCC CTLR MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT CLRNC ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FROM 11000 TO 13000' FROM ZJX. I WAS FLYING AND THE F/O PUT 13000' IN THE ALT SELECTOR. I CLBED TO 13000'. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS THE CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS, AND WHEN WE TOLD HIM, HE SAID WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 12000'. WE WERE BOTH POSITIVE HE HAD GIVEN AND WE HAD READ BACK 13000'. THE CTLR SAID THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND HE GAVE US A HIGHER ALT. THE REST OF THE FLT PROCEEDED W/O INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 130647: THE CAPT PICKED UP THE MIC AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE CTLR PULL THE TAPES AND REVIEW THEM BECAUSE BOTH OF US WERE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT WE HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 13000' FROM HIM. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MINS ON THE FREQ, THE CTLR INITIATED 3 SEPARATE XMISSIONS STATING HIS DESIRE NOT TO PULL THE TAPES, AND THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO LET IT DROP. AFTER HIS FIRST XMISSION, I RESPONDED, 'ROGER.' THE SECOND XMISSION BASICALLY RESTATED THE FIRST AND ENDED WITH, 'YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?' TO THAT ONE I RESPONDED 'YES SIR.' TO THE THIRD UNSOLICITED XMISSION IN WHICH HE MADE REF TO THE FACT THAT IF THE TAPES WERE PULLED AND WE (THE FLT CREW) HAD MADE AN ERROR, SOMEONE WOULD PURSUE IT, THE CAPT RESPONDED 'ROGER.' OVER THE NEXT FEW MINS ON THE FREQ THERE WERE NO XMISSIONS FOR US. OUR FLT # NOW BECOMES IMPORTANT (XYZ). THE CTLR MADE A FREQ CHANGE XMISSION TO A (SAME COMPANY) XYP. I LISTENED, HEARD NO RESPONSE, AND KNOWING IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR #'S TO BE TRANSPOSED IN THIS MANNER, I ASKED IF HE MEANT XYZ. WE THEN DID THIS 3 TIMES AS HE NEVER DIRECTLY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR QUERIES, BUT PERSISTED IN CALLING XYP. FINALLY HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE FREQ CHANGE WAS FOR US, BUT GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE REALIZED HE HAD PERSISTED IN CALLING US BY THE WRONG CALL SIGN.

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.