Narrative:

Aircraft was flown for a test flight of an air-cycle machine repair. I was not flying with one of our usual crew members, but with our senior mechanic who is copilot qualified in the aircraft. The flight was planned for a climb to FL450 to check the system, and the copilot was completely briefed on the flight. All systems were checked and we were cleared for takeoff, runway heading (280), climb maintain 5000'. Climbing through 2500' the copilot contacted departure, while climbing through 4500' to 5000' we were assigned heading 160 degree, climb maintain 10000'. The copilot read back 160 degree on the heading, climbing maintain 16000'. 16000' was set in the altitude select window for the altitude alert, by the copilot. Climbing through 10000 we were told to contact ZID. The copilot called in and reported climbing out of 12000 for 16000. ZID returned the call with 'roger, amend and maintain 14000 you have traffic at 2:30 and 12 mi, higher shortly.' the center then asked who cleared us to 16000' and the copilot said that departure had. It was only after this time did I realize that we had only been cleared to 10000' which is normal at this facility. My concern was on the flight to FL450 (maximum ceiling) with an air-cycle machine that may overheat and stop working. The problem of not watching the guy in the right seat, who I know well, but very seldom fly with and becoming too complacent with our normal routine when flying with our regular qualified crew members. We made the mistake, but not one person caught the error on the readbacks. I know it's not good to be behind the aircraft, but it's also not good to be too far ahead of it either.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISINTERP OF CLIMB CLRNC CREATES A POTENTIAL LOSS OF SEPARATION THAT WAS PREVENTED BY AN ALERT ARTCC RADAR CTLR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS FLOWN FOR A TEST FLT OF AN AIR-CYCLE MACHINE REPAIR. I WAS NOT FLYING WITH ONE OF OUR USUAL CREW MEMBERS, BUT WITH OUR SENIOR MECHANIC WHO IS COPLT QUALIFIED IN THE ACFT. THE FLT WAS PLANNED FOR A CLIMB TO FL450 TO CHECK THE SYSTEM, AND THE COPLT WAS COMPLETELY BRIEFED ON THE FLT. ALL SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, RWY HDG (280), CLIMB MAINTAIN 5000'. CLIMBING THROUGH 2500' THE COPLT CONTACTED DEP, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 4500' TO 5000' WE WERE ASSIGNED HDG 160 DEG, CLIMB MAINTAIN 10000'. THE COPLT READ BACK 160 DEG ON THE HDG, CLIMBING MAINTAIN 16000'. 16000' WAS SET IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW FOR THE ALT ALERT, BY THE COPLT. CLIMBING THROUGH 10000 WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ZID. THE COPLT CALLED IN AND REPORTED CLIMBING OUT OF 12000 FOR 16000. ZID RETURNED THE CALL WITH 'ROGER, AMEND AND MAINTAIN 14000 YOU HAVE TFC AT 2:30 AND 12 MI, HIGHER SHORTLY.' THE CENTER THEN ASKED WHO CLRED US TO 16000' AND THE COPLT SAID THAT DEP HAD. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THIS TIME DID I REALIZE THAT WE HAD ONLY BEEN CLRED TO 10000' WHICH IS NORMAL AT THIS FAC. MY CONCERN WAS ON THE FLT TO FL450 (MAX CEILING) WITH AN AIR-CYCLE MACHINE THAT MAY OVERHEAT AND STOP WORKING. THE PROBLEM OF NOT WATCHING THE GUY IN THE RIGHT SEAT, WHO I KNOW WELL, BUT VERY SELDOM FLY WITH AND BECOMING TOO COMPLACENT WITH OUR NORMAL ROUTINE WHEN FLYING WITH OUR REGULAR QUALIFIED CREW MEMBERS. WE MADE THE MISTAKE, BUT NOT ONE PERSON CAUGHT THE ERROR ON THE READBACKS. I KNOW IT'S NOT GOOD TO BE BEHIND THE ACFT, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT GOOD TO BE TOO FAR AHEAD OF IT EITHER.

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.