Air carrier requests higher but not given altitude requested. Climbs to requested altitude.

Attributes
ACN	154950
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hvq
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	154950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	154386
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cruising at FL310 and my first officer asked ATC for FL350. ATC replied that we were cleared to FL330. This occurred while I was eating. Several mins later ATC asked us to verify our altitude. My first officer responded that we were level at FL350. I had not been paying attention and I do not remember being cleared to FL350, hopefully we were. This is another instance that demonstrates the importance of staying aware of what is going on in the cockpit at all times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REQUESTS HIGHER BUT NOT GIVEN ALT REQUESTED. CLIMBS TO REQUESTED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL310 AND MY F/O ASKED ATC FOR FL350. ATC REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL330. THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS EATING. SEVERAL MINS LATER ATC ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. MY F/O RESPONDED THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT FL350. I HAD NOT BEEN PAYING ATTN AND I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING CLRED TO FL350, HOPEFULLY WE WERE. THIS IS ANOTHER INSTANCE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT AT ALL TIMES.

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.