Captain of air carrier medium large transport aircraft misunderstood assigned altitude and overshot.

Attributes
ACN	223473
Time
Date	199210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : knx
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
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
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	223473
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	223765
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

With the captain flying and the copilot operating the radios, we were told to climb to FL240, fly on a heading of 260 degrees. ZTL gave us a frequency change. With a frequency change to another ZTL, the controller asked us about our altitude of FL240. We told him we were assigned FL240. He said no, it was FL230. The copilot said he read back FL240. We were told to stay at FL240.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR MLG ACFT MISUNDERSTOOD ASSIGNED ALT AND OVERSHOT.

Narrative: WITH THE CAPT FLYING AND THE COPLT OPERATING THE RADIOS, WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO FL240, FLY ON A HDG OF 260 DEGS. ZTL GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. WITH A FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER ZTL, THE CTLR ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT OF FL240. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE ASSIGNED FL240. HE SAID NO, IT WAS FL230. THE COPLT SAID HE READ BACK FL240. WE WERE TOLD TO STAY AT FL240.

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.