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Air carrier issued a climb to FL230 which was confirmed by the controller. As aircraft reached altitude controller issued evasive turns and stated issued altitude was FL220.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 160336 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199010 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ott |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j61 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | controller military : 6 controller radar : 23 flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 160336 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
ZDC on frequency 133.9 cleared us from FL190 to FL2-something. Captain heard FL220. First officer heard FL230. As SOP we each repeated what we heard and discovered the discrepancy. The first officer asked for confirmation of cleared altitude. Center then cleared us to FL230. Confirmed by us both, and first officer read back, 'out of 190 for 230.' later, after several mins level at FL230, center called for immediate turn from the arwy course of 184 degrees to 090 degree heading and climb to FL240. We heard an airline given immediate turn to FL330 and we were asked to tighten our 30 degree angle bank turn. Controller said he had cleared us to FL220. We have no idea how close because we never saw the other flight. This problem is being addressed in every sector of the industry. At my company we are repeating and setting and confirming. What do we do next? Should the controller read back our readback? Should we announce to controller leveling at the altitude? Have we reached a point at which the controller can no longer pay attention to 'readbacks' because of workload? This is twice in 6 months we have had difference in altitude. We heard and read back and what the controller said he cleared. There was no conflict in the other.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR ISSUED A CLIMB TO FL230 WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY THE CTLR. AS ACFT REACHED ALT CTLR ISSUED EVASIVE TURNS AND STATED ISSUED ALT WAS FL220.
Narrative: ZDC ON FREQ 133.9 CLRED US FROM FL190 TO FL2-SOMETHING. CAPT HEARD FL220. F/O HEARD FL230. AS SOP WE EACH REPEATED WHAT WE HEARD AND DISCOVERED THE DISCREPANCY. THE F/O ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION OF CLRED ALT. CENTER THEN CLRED US TO FL230. CONFIRMED BY US BOTH, AND F/O READ BACK, 'OUT OF 190 FOR 230.' LATER, AFTER SEVERAL MINS LEVEL AT FL230, CENTER CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE TURN FROM THE ARWY COURSE OF 184 DEGS TO 090 DEG HDG AND CLB TO FL240. WE HEARD AN AIRLINE GIVEN IMMEDIATE TURN TO FL330 AND WE WERE ASKED TO TIGHTEN OUR 30 DEG ANGLE BANK TURN. CTLR SAID HE HAD CLRED US TO FL220. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW CLOSE BECAUSE WE NEVER SAW THE OTHER FLT. THIS PROB IS BEING ADDRESSED IN EVERY SECTOR OF THE INDUSTRY. AT MY COMPANY WE ARE REPEATING AND SETTING AND CONFIRMING. WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? SHOULD THE CTLR READ BACK OUR READBACK? SHOULD WE ANNOUNCE TO CTLR LEVELING AT THE ALT? HAVE WE REACHED A POINT AT WHICH THE CTLR CAN NO LONGER PAY ATTN TO 'READBACKS' BECAUSE OF WORKLOAD? THIS IS TWICE IN 6 MONTHS WE HAVE HAD DIFFERENCE IN ALT. WE HEARD AND READ BACK AND WHAT THE CTLR SAID HE CLRED. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT IN THE OTHER.
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.