Departure controller gave an erroneous altitude to a departure.

Attributes
ACN	149473
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 189 flight time total : 891 flight time type : 352
ASRS Report	149473
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	149708
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had just departed midway airport and tower had turned us over departure on 133.50. I contacted departure, advising them of our left turn to 260 degree and passing through 1500' for 3000', which was our clearance limit altitude. Departure called back, advised, radar contact, climb and maintain 5000'. I read back, light transport up to 5000', to departure. I then advised my captain that we were cleared up to 5000'. On passing through 3000' the captain queried that we were cleared up to 5000' and I confirmed that fact. At 3600', departure contacted us by asking what our altitude was and telling us that departure needed us at 3000'. I acknowledged by saying back down to 3000' and that he had cleared us up to 5000' and that I had read it back to them. The controller then told us that it was his mistake to have assigned us 5000'. Supplemental information from acn 149708. I responded that it wasn't the usual altitude, but that I figured that traffic was light. Departure responded, 'there actually is 30 planes inbound for runway 4R.' before handing us over to the next frequency, departure apologized and said he probably gave us the wrong altitude. I think the problem arose from the controller repeatedly assigning the same altitude to aircraft initially checking in on his frequency. His assignment to us was from rote, west/O actually thinking about what he was saying. This mistake continued as he did not acknowledge our readback. In the future I will make sure that the controller handling our flight does this. After returning to 3000', our flight continued west/O incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR GAVE AN ERRONEOUS ALT TO A DEP.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST DEPARTED MIDWAY ARPT AND TWR HAD TURNED US OVER DEP ON 133.50. I CONTACTED DEP, ADVISING THEM OF OUR L TURN TO 260 DEG AND PASSING THROUGH 1500' FOR 3000', WHICH WAS OUR CLRNC LIMIT ALT. DEP CALLED BACK, ADVISED, RADAR CONTACT, CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000'. I READ BACK, LTT UP TO 5000', TO DEP. I THEN ADVISED MY CAPT THAT WE WERE CLRED UP TO 5000'. ON PASSING THROUGH 3000' THE CAPT QUERIED THAT WE WERE CLRED UP TO 5000' AND I CONFIRMED THAT FACT. AT 3600', DEP CONTACTED US BY ASKING WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND TELLING US THAT DEP NEEDED US AT 3000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED BY SAYING BACK DOWN TO 3000' AND THAT HE HAD CLRED US UP TO 5000' AND THAT I HAD READ IT BACK TO THEM. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US THAT IT WAS HIS MISTAKE TO HAVE ASSIGNED US 5000'. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 149708. I RESPONDED THAT IT WASN'T THE USUAL ALT, BUT THAT I FIGURED THAT TFC WAS LIGHT. DEP RESPONDED, 'THERE ACTUALLY IS 30 PLANES INBND FOR RWY 4R.' BEFORE HANDING US OVER TO THE NEXT FREQ, DEP APOLOGIZED AND SAID HE PROBABLY GAVE US THE WRONG ALT. I THINK THE PROB AROSE FROM THE CTLR REPEATEDLY ASSIGNING THE SAME ALT TO ACFT INITIALLY CHKING IN ON HIS FREQ. HIS ASSIGNMENT TO US WAS FROM ROTE, W/O ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT HE WAS SAYING. THIS MISTAKE CONTINUED AS HE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR READBACK. IN THE FUTURE I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE CTLR HANDLING OUR FLT DOES THIS. AFTER RETURNING TO 3000', OUR FLT CONTINUED W/O INCIDENT.

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.