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Flight crew of medium large transport understood cleared FL330. At FL316 controller querried and advised only FL310 but then cleared flight to continue to FL330.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 181857 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199106 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 181857 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 252 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 252 |
| ASRS Report | 181514 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 28000 vertical : 1400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Flight departed atlanta en route to milwaukee. While climbing to an assigned altitude of FL290 and deviating left of course (west) for WX, flight requested higher altitude to clear WX. Clearance was issued to deviate and climb to FL330. Flight read back 'cleared to FL330.' ATC immediately asked 'what will that heading be?' flight reported heading would be '330'. FL330 was set in the altitude alerter and acknowledged by both captain and first officer. ATC acknowledged and went to other traffic. Approaching FL31.6 ATC asked 'what is your altitude?' flight reported FL31.6. ATC said, 'you were cleared only to FL310.' flight reported, 'we show FL330.' ATC then issued clearance to continue climb to FL330. Flight continued climb to FL330. No evasive action was taken nor requested by ATC. Factors: thunderstorms in the area causing numerous aircraft deviations placed heavy workload on ATC. Pilots of flight planning route around thunderstorms increased cockpit workload. Misunderstanding between flight crew and ATC as to the assigned altitude. Possibly a blocked transmission on flight readback of FL330.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF MLG UNDERSTOOD CLEARED FL330. AT FL316 CTLR QUERRIED AND ADVISED ONLY FL310 BUT THEN CLEARED FLT TO CONTINUE TO FL330.
Narrative: FLT DEPARTED ATLANTA ENRTE TO MILWAUKEE. WHILE CLBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290 AND DEVIATING L OF COURSE (W) FOR WX, FLT REQUESTED HIGHER ALT TO CLR WX. CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO DEVIATE AND CLB TO FL330. FLT READ BACK 'CLRED TO FL330.' ATC IMMEDIATELY ASKED 'WHAT WILL THAT HDG BE?' FLT RPTED HDG WOULD BE '330'. FL330 WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERTER AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY BOTH CAPT AND F/O. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED AND WENT TO OTHER TFC. APCHING FL31.6 ATC ASKED 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' FLT RPTED FL31.6. ATC SAID, 'YOU WERE CLRED ONLY TO FL310.' FLT RPTED, 'WE SHOW FL330.' ATC THEN ISSUED CLRNC TO CONTINUE CLB TO FL330. FLT CONTINUED CLB TO FL330. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN NOR REQUESTED BY ATC. FACTORS: TSTMS IN THE AREA CAUSING NUMEROUS ACFT DEVS PLACED HVY WORKLOAD ON ATC. PLTS OF FLT PLANNING RTE AROUND TSTMS INCREASED COCKPIT WORKLOAD. MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN FLT CREW AND ATC AS TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. POSSIBLY A BLOCKED XMISSION ON FLT READBACK OF FL330.
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.