Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation overshot during climb out from lax.

Attributes
ACN	191997
Time
Date	199110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	191997
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	192105
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on the flipper 4 departure out of lax approaching sli. We were given FL180, a turn to intercept a radial just short of sli, and traffic at FL190. I understood everything except the radial, and was clarifying that with the controller. I was trying to listen to the controller and missed the full question of the captain, but replied 'yeah.' what he had asked was nothing about the traffic at FL190, but rather if we had been cleared to FL190. Because of my response, he initiated a climb. We realized the situation and stopped the climb out of FL180. The confusion resulted from giving an answer to a statement not fully heard or understood, a good lesson!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALTDEV OVERSHOT DURING CLB OUT FROM LAX.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE FLIPPER 4 DEP OUT OF LAX APCHING SLI. WE WERE GIVEN FL180, A TURN TO INTERCEPT A RADIAL JUST SHORT OF SLI, AND TFC AT FL190. I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE RADIAL, AND WAS CLARIFYING THAT WITH THE CTLR. I WAS TRYING TO LISTEN TO THE CTLR AND MISSED THE FULL QUESTION OF THE CAPT, BUT REPLIED 'YEAH.' WHAT HE HAD ASKED WAS NOTHING ABOUT THE TFC AT FL190, BUT RATHER IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL190. BECAUSE OF MY RESPONSE, HE INITIATED A CLB. WE REALIZED THE SITUATION AND STOPPED THE CLB OUT OF FL180. THE CONFUSION RESULTED FROM GIVING AN ANSWER TO A STATEMENT NOT FULLY HEARD OR UNDERSTOOD, A GOOD LESSON!

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.