Narrative:

ZAB asked if we could climb from FL330 to FL370 in 4 mins or less. With captain's concurrence I replied in the affirmative. ZAB then cleared us to climb to FL370 to be level within 4 mins. I acknowledged the clearance, reported out of FL330 and started the elapsed timer on my clock. About 3 mins, 55 seconds. Later I noted that we were level at FL370 and reset the elapse timer. Sometime later in the flight ZKC asked us to call a phone # when we arrived in dulles. After arrival in dulles the captain called the phone # we were given and was advised that we had failed to reach FL370 in the required time. I can offer no corrective action, since from the information I had available (i.e., my altimeter and elapsed timer) we complied fully with the issued ATC clearance. Additionally, at the time of the alleged occurrence, no one questioned our altitude, climb rate, or ability to comply with the clearance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: have not heard further from the FAA. Discussion in cockpit came to determination that controller planning did not work out as planned. Believe we followed controller's clearance precisely.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT AT FL330 CLEARED TO FL370 TO BE THERE WITHIN 4 MINUTES. COMPLIED WITH CLRNC BUT WERE LATER ADVISED THEY HAD TRIGGERED THE LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION ALARM.

Narrative: ZAB ASKED IF WE COULD CLB FROM FL330 TO FL370 IN 4 MINS OR LESS. WITH CAPT'S CONCURRENCE I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. ZAB THEN CLRED US TO CLB TO FL370 TO BE LEVEL WITHIN 4 MINS. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC, RPTED OUT OF FL330 AND STARTED THE ELAPSED TIMER ON MY CLOCK. ABOUT 3 MINS, 55 SECS. LATER I NOTED THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT FL370 AND RESET THE ELAPSE TIMER. SOMETIME LATER IN THE FLT ZKC ASKED US TO CALL A PHONE # WHEN WE ARRIVED IN DULLES. AFTER ARR IN DULLES THE CAPT CALLED THE PHONE # WE WERE GIVEN AND WAS ADVISED THAT WE HAD FAILED TO REACH FL370 IN THE REQUIRED TIME. I CAN OFFER NO CORRECTIVE ACTION, SINCE FROM THE INFO I HAD AVAILABLE (I.E., MY ALTIMETER AND ELAPSED TIMER) WE COMPLIED FULLY WITH THE ISSUED ATC CLRNC. ADDITIONALLY, AT THE TIME OF THE ALLEGED OCCURRENCE, NO ONE QUESTIONED OUR ALT, CLB RATE, OR ABILITY TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: HAVE NOT HEARD FURTHER FROM THE FAA. DISCUSSION IN COCKPIT CAME TO DETERMINATION THAT CTLR PLANNING DID NOT WORK OUT AS PLANNED. BELIEVE WE FOLLOWED CTLR'S CLRNC PRECISELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.