Small transport climbed above assigned altitude into adjacent facility airspace due to readback prob...

Attributes
ACN	135137
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tcm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	135137
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft (small transport) was handed off from another sector to me. Aircraft had been climbed to 9000', which was the top of our airspace in that sector. After inquiring as to pilot's destination and direct heading, I cleared him direct and told him to 'maintain niner thousand, expect climb clearance in one three miles.' the pilot read back 'one three thousand', and commenced his climb. I missed the incorrect readback. The first time I observed the mistake was when I observed the aircraft climbing through 9500'. I instructed the pilot to descend back to 9000', and pointed him out to the center. No loss of separation occurred. At the time of the pilot readback, I was handling 3 other aircraft, and there was no handoff position staffed. I believe that the pilot 'heard' what he wanted to hear (a climb clearance to one three thousand), and I heard back from the pilot what I wanted to hear (one three miles).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CLIMBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT INTO ADJACENT FAC AIRSPACE DUE TO READBACK PROBLEM.

Narrative: ACFT (SMT) WAS HANDED OFF FROM ANOTHER SECTOR TO ME. ACFT HAD BEEN CLIMBED TO 9000', WHICH WAS THE TOP OF OUR AIRSPACE IN THAT SECTOR. AFTER INQUIRING AS TO PLT'S DEST AND DIRECT HDG, I CLRED HIM DIRECT AND TOLD HIM TO 'MAINTAIN NINER THOUSAND, EXPECT CLIMB CLRNC IN ONE THREE MILES.' THE PLT READ BACK 'ONE THREE THOUSAND', AND COMMENCED HIS CLIMB. I MISSED THE INCORRECT READBACK. THE FIRST TIME I OBSERVED THE MISTAKE WAS WHEN I OBSERVED THE ACFT CLIMBING THROUGH 9500'. I INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO DSND BACK TO 9000', AND POINTED HIM OUT TO THE CENTER. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. AT THE TIME OF THE PLT READBACK, I WAS HANDLING 3 OTHER ACFT, AND THERE WAS NO HANDOFF POSITION STAFFED. I BELIEVE THAT THE PLT 'HEARD' WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR (A CLIMB CLRNC TO ONE THREE THOUSAND), AND I HEARD BACK FROM THE PLT WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR (ONE THREE MILES).

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.

Small transport climbed above assigned altitude into adjacent facility airspace due to readback problem.