An air carrier medium large transport read back the wrong altitude and climbed to the wrong altitude. ATC did not catch either the wrong readback or the climb. There is a violation pending.

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Attributes
ACN	216992
Time
Date	199208
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ork
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
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 : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	216992
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On flight from phx to rno we were cleared by ZAB to FL230. After requesting RNAV direct bld, we were given a climb clearance to FL290. First officer read back the clearance. I set it on the MCP and the first officer verified. A short while later, we received an RA on the TCASII advising descend. At the same time, ZAB requested our altitude. I advised 290 and ZAB advised we had been cleared to FL280. My reply to this was negative. At the same time, air carrier a advised of an RA TCASII advisory and was descending. ZAB advised air carrier a to maintain 290 and advised us to descend to FL280. Shortly thereafter, we were advised to contact ZAB upon landing. In talking to ZAB, they advised they had replayed the tape and verified our clearance had been FL280. In conclusion, I do feel a clearance to FL290 had been received and complied with. We were not given TA's to any conflicting or crossing aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporting pilot has heard the ATC tapes and he agrees that his flight was given FL280 and that the aircraft read back FL290. ZAB did not correct either his readback or the fact that he was at the wrong altitude as shown on the scope. The reporter says that ZAB 'has the worst radios in the whole world.' the FAA is filing a violation on him. His company has fined him for this transgression hoping that the FAA would drop the whole matter. No such luck, yet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG READ BACK THE WRONG ALT AND CLBED TO THE WRONG ALT. ATC DID NOT CATCH EITHER THE WRONG READBACK OR THE CLB. THERE IS A VIOLATION PENDING.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM PHX TO RNO WE WERE CLRED BY ZAB TO FL230. AFTER REQUESTING RNAV DIRECT BLD, WE WERE GIVEN A CLB CLRNC TO FL290. FO READ BACK THE CLRNC. I SET IT ON THE MCP AND THE FO VERIFIED. A SHORT WHILE LATER, WE RECEIVED AN RA ON THE TCASII ADVISING DSND. AT THE SAME TIME, ZAB REQUESTED OUR ALT. I ADVISED 290 AND ZAB ADVISED WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL280. MY REPLY TO THIS WAS NEGATIVE. AT THE SAME TIME, ACR A ADVISED OF AN RA TCASII ADVISORY AND WAS DSNDING. ZAB ADVISED ACR A TO MAINTAIN 290 AND ADVISED US TO DSND TO FL280. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT ZAB UPON LNDG. IN TALKING TO ZAB, THEY ADVISED THEY HAD REPLAYED THE TAPE AND VERIFIED OUR CLRNC HAD BEEN FL280. IN CONCLUSION, I DO FEEL A CLRNC TO FL290 HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND COMPLIED WITH. WE WERE NOT GIVEN TA'S TO ANY CONFLICTING OR XING ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTING PLT HAS HEARD THE ATC TAPES AND HE AGREES THAT HIS FLT WAS GIVEN FL280 AND THAT THE ACFT READ BACK FL290. ZAB DID NOT CORRECT EITHER HIS READBACK OR THE FACT THAT HE WAS AT THE WRONG ALT AS SHOWN ON THE SCOPE. THE RPTR SAYS THAT ZAB 'HAS THE WORST RADIOS IN THE WHOLE WORLD.' THE FAA IS FILING A VIOLATION ON HIM. HIS COMPANY HAS FINED HIM FOR THIS TRANSGRESSION HOPING THAT THE FAA WOULD DROP THE WHOLE MATTER. NO SUCH LUCK, YET.

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.