Narrative:

While climbing to FL230 enroute to 'champ' on A300 en route to san juan puerto rico. We were cleared by ZNY climb to FL310 cross 'catch' (A300) at FL310, then climb to cross 31 degrees north at FL330. The first officer read back the clearance, a second repeat of the clearance. At this time we were in cloud, turbulence and with radar that would not operate. I repeated my understanding of the clearance firmly believing in my mind the fix to begin climb was 'champ' (A300). After several attempts at cycling the radar on and off. The radar began to paint the storms whose flashes were could see ahead. We called for deviation form ZNY. The storms ringed 'champ' about 30 mi on all sides. With the radar we were able to pick our way through. After passing abeam champ (still deviating). I said now we are cleared to FL330. I instructed the first officer to give a report to oceanic on 129.9, telling them we were departing FL310 for FL330. The F/east was busy at this time getting a SELCAL check on HF. After leveling at and reporting level at FL330. The F/east was busy at this time getting a SELCAL check on HF. After leveling at and reporting level at FL330, we were selcaled on HF approximately 3 mins later. Ny oceanic stated we were not cleared to climb until 'catch.' the first officer checked the clearance he copied and confirmed 'catch' was the point to climb. I told ATC we were leaving FL330 for FL310 and repeated the original clearance. I think the reason for this mistake was the preoccupation with the anticipation of receiving cruise altitude clearance nearly always at champ. The first officer also thought the climb point was champ even though he had written down 'catch.' the names of the 2 fixes sounded very much the same, which could have led to the confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FLT CREW ON OVERWATER ATLANTIC FLT MAKES ERROR IN NAME OF INTXN AT WHICH THEY ARE CLEARED TO A HIGHER ALT.

Narrative: WHILE CLIMBING TO FL230 ENROUTE TO 'CHAMP' ON A300 ENRTE TO SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO. WE WERE CLRED BY ZNY CLB TO FL310 CROSS 'CATCH' (A300) AT FL310, THEN CLB TO CROSS 31 DEGS N AT FL330. THE F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC, A SECOND REPEAT OF THE CLRNC. AT THIS TIME WE WERE IN CLOUD, TURB AND WITH RADAR THAT WOULD NOT OPERATE. I REPEATED MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLRNC FIRMLY BELIEVING IN MY MIND THE FIX TO BEGIN CLB WAS 'CHAMP' (A300). AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT CYCLING THE RADAR ON AND OFF. THE RADAR BEGAN TO PAINT THE STORMS WHOSE FLASHES WERE COULD SEE AHEAD. WE CALLED FOR DEVIATION FORM ZNY. THE STORMS RINGED 'CHAMP' ABOUT 30 MI ON ALL SIDES. WITH THE RADAR WE WERE ABLE TO PICK OUR WAY THROUGH. AFTER PASSING ABEAM CHAMP (STILL DEVIATING). I SAID NOW WE ARE CLRED TO FL330. I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO GIVE A RPT TO OCEANIC ON 129.9, TELLING THEM WE WERE DEPARTING FL310 FOR FL330. THE F/E WAS BUSY AT THIS TIME GETTING A SELCAL CHK ON HF. AFTER LEVELING AT AND RPTING LEVEL AT FL330. THE F/E WAS BUSY AT THIS TIME GETTING A SELCAL CHK ON HF. AFTER LEVELING AT AND RPTING LEVEL AT FL330, WE WERE SELCALED ON HF APPROX 3 MINS LATER. NY OCEANIC STATED WE WERE NOT CLRED TO CLB UNTIL 'CATCH.' THE F/O CHKED THE CLRNC HE COPIED AND CONFIRMED 'CATCH' WAS THE POINT TO CLB. I TOLD ATC WE WERE LEAVING FL330 FOR FL310 AND REPEATED THE ORIGINAL CLRNC. I THINK THE REASON FOR THIS MISTAKE WAS THE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF RECEIVING CRUISE ALT CLRNC NEARLY ALWAYS AT CHAMP. THE F/O ALSO THOUGHT THE CLB POINT WAS CHAMP EVEN THOUGH HE HAD WRITTEN DOWN 'CATCH.' THE NAMES OF THE 2 FIXES SOUNDED VERY MUCH THE SAME, WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO THE CONFUSION.

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.