Air carrier medium large transport level at FL330 when ATC believes that clearance is only to FL290.

Attributes
ACN	142079
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwg
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	142079
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	142086
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Just south of bwg VOR, ZME told us to maintain FL330. I told ZME that we showed level FL330 and asked if they showed us deviating from our altitude. Center said that we were supposed to be at FL290. I told them that I had not received a clearance to FL290. They said the previous controller had given us a crossing restriction south of bwg at FL290. I said that all we had heard from the previous controller was, 'crossing traffic at FL290, south of bwg.' my reply was, 'roger.' I did remark to the first officer that I was surprised that center would give us traffic that far away with a 4000' difference, but we decided the traffic might be more of a factor as we neared that position. However, it didn't occur to either of us that we had been given any type of clearance. I did not read back any clearance. Also, when I checked in with the next controller, I called level at FL330 with no reference to another altitude. I think the problem occurred because we did not hear the first part of the transmission. It should have been caught when I replied 'roger' west/O a proper readback, and again when I contacted the next controller. It may help if we had a standard reply when given traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LEVEL AT FL330 WHEN ATC BELIEVES THAT CLRNC IS ONLY TO FL290.

Narrative: JUST S OF BWG VOR, ZME TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL330. I TOLD ZME THAT WE SHOWED LEVEL FL330 AND ASKED IF THEY SHOWED US DEVIATING FROM OUR ALT. CENTER SAID THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL290. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL290. THEY SAID THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD GIVEN US A XING RESTRICTION S OF BWG AT FL290. I SAID THAT ALL WE HAD HEARD FROM THE PREVIOUS CTLR WAS, 'XING TFC AT FL290, S OF BWG.' MY REPLY WAS, 'ROGER.' I DID REMARK TO THE F/O THAT I WAS SURPRISED THAT CENTER WOULD GIVE US TFC THAT FAR AWAY WITH A 4000' DIFFERENCE, BUT WE DECIDED THE TFC MIGHT BE MORE OF A FACTOR AS WE NEARED THAT POS. HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO EITHER OF US THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN ANY TYPE OF CLRNC. I DID NOT READ BACK ANY CLRNC. ALSO, WHEN I CHKED IN WITH THE NEXT CTLR, I CALLED LEVEL AT FL330 WITH NO REF TO ANOTHER ALT. I THINK THE PROB OCCURRED BECAUSE WE DID NOT HEAR THE FIRST PART OF THE XMISSION. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT WHEN I REPLIED 'ROGER' W/O A PROPER READBACK, AND AGAIN WHEN I CONTACTED THE NEXT CTLR. IT MAY HELP IF WE HAD A STANDARD REPLY WHEN GIVEN TFC.

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.