Narrative:

We had departed dca going nebound to jfk. It was my (first officer) leg to fly and the captain was communicating to ATC. We were receiving vectors to intercept the andrews (adw) VOR 067 degree radial approximately 5 mi southwest of paleo intersection before continuing on our cleared course from paleo to join V44 eastbound toward sea isle (sie) VOR. Our initial altitude clearance was 2000 ft after departing dca and a 050 degree heading. Following this first assigned heading and altitude, we received additional radar vectors towards paleo, along with a climb from 2000 ft to I believe, if memory serves me correctly, 5000 ft. After proceeding on an assigned heading and 5000 ft, we were given another heading to intercept the 067 degree radial and simultaneously climb from 5000 to what we thought we heard, 9000 ft. In fact, we had put 9000 ft in the autoplt display unit. Also, 9000 ft is the normal altitude given to us from ATC at this approximately location. It was not until approximately 5 mi southwest of paleo and continuing our climb through about 7700 ft when ATC called us and stated we were assigned an altitude of 7000 ft, but to now continue the climb to 9000 ft. At that point I told the captain I thought we were told 9000 ft as evidenced by 9000 ft in the autoplt. The captain acknowledged 9000 ft to ATC along with something to the effect that we were sorry for misunderstanding the previous assigned altitude of 7000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISUNDERSTANDS ALT ASSIGNMENT. ALT DEV.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED DCA GOING NEBOUND TO JFK. IT WAS MY (FO) LEG TO FLY AND THE CAPT WAS COMMUNICATING TO ATC. WE WERE RECEIVING VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE ANDREWS (ADW) VOR 067 DEG RADIAL APPROX 5 MI SW OF PALEO INTXN BEFORE CONTINUING ON OUR CLRED COURSE FROM PALEO TO JOIN V44 EBOUND TOWARD SEA ISLE (SIE) VOR. OUR INITIAL ALT CLRNC WAS 2000 FT AFTER DEPARTING DCA AND A 050 DEG HDG. FOLLOWING THIS FIRST ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT, WE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL RADAR VECTORS TOWARDS PALEO, ALONG WITH A CLB FROM 2000 FT TO I BELIEVE, IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, 5000 FT. AFTER PROCEEDING ON AN ASSIGNED HDG AND 5000 FT, WE WERE GIVEN ANOTHER HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 067 DEG RADIAL AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CLB FROM 5000 TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HEARD, 9000 FT. IN FACT, WE HAD PUT 9000 FT IN THE AUTOPLT DISPLAY UNIT. ALSO, 9000 FT IS THE NORMAL ALT GIVEN TO US FROM ATC AT THIS APPROX LOCATION. IT WAS NOT UNTIL APPROX 5 MI SW OF PALEO AND CONTINUING OUR CLB THROUGH ABOUT 7700 FT WHEN ATC CALLED US AND STATED WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 7000 FT, BUT TO NOW CONTINUE THE CLB TO 9000 FT. AT THAT POINT I TOLD THE CAPT I THOUGHT WE WERE TOLD 9000 FT AS EVIDENCED BY 9000 FT IN THE AUTOPLT. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED 9000 FT TO ATC ALONG WITH SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT WE WERE SORRY FOR MISUNDERSTANDING THE PREVIOUS ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT.

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.