Air carrier assigned altitude by 1 controller, questioned by another due traffic above.

Attributes
ACN	230334
Time
Date	199301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eon
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 4580 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	230334
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Climbing to cruise altitude we were cleared to FL230 by a busy controller. Both the copilot and I questioned to ourselves why this was as I had filed FL210. Upon switching to the next controller we were passing through FL210 climbing to FL230, at FL210 the controller advised traffic 12 O'clock, 15 mi, 1000 ft above us. We acknowledged and then at 21900 ft the controller asked our altitude and then said to turn right to 220 degrees and descend to FL210. We did same and continued flight at FL210. We were advised that the conflicting traffic was at FL220.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ASSIGNED ALT BY 1 CTLR, QUESTIONED BY ANOTHER DUE TFC ABOVE.

Narrative: CLBING TO CRUISE ALT WE WERE CLRED TO FL230 BY A BUSY CTLR. BOTH THE COPLT AND I QUESTIONED TO OURSELVES WHY THIS WAS AS I HAD FILED FL210. UPON SWITCHING TO THE NEXT CTLR WE WERE PASSING THROUGH FL210 CLBING TO FL230, AT FL210 THE CTLR ADVISED TFC 12 O'CLOCK, 15 MI, 1000 FT ABOVE US. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEN AT 21900 FT THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT AND THEN SAID TO TURN R TO 220 DEGS AND DSND TO FL210. WE DID SAME AND CONTINUED FLT AT FL210. WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS AT FL220.

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.