Narrative:

Air carrier X in climb from den. We were being held down for faster traffic. We were concerned about being too low to satisfy our drift down requirement. I brought this to ATC's attention and was given 17000 ft then FL180 and the FL190. As we passed through FL190 I told the captain we were only cleared to FL190. He indicated we were cleared to FL200. At the same time we were given a frequency change. I signed on at FL193 or FL194 cleared to FL200. We were told to descend immediately 190. We complied immediately. Supplemental information from acn 240806: I was flying as captain on air carrier X from den to gjt. I believe we had been given clearance to climb to FL200. As we passed through FL190 we were given a frequency change from ZDV for the next sector at ZDV. We signed on the frequency as climbing to FL200. The controller's response was to descend immediately to FL190 for traffic. We promptly complied. ZDV then informed me that there had been a possible loss of separation with another aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC. CLB TO OCCUPIED ALT. HAD POSSIBLE LTSS FROM ACFT Y. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X IN CLB FROM DEN. WE WERE BEING HELD DOWN FOR FASTER TFC. WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING TOO LOW TO SATISFY OUR DRIFT DOWN REQUIREMENT. I BROUGHT THIS TO ATC'S ATTN AND WAS GIVEN 17000 FT THEN FL180 AND THE FL190. AS WE PASSED THROUGH FL190 I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL190. HE INDICATED WE WERE CLRED TO FL200. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. I SIGNED ON AT FL193 OR FL194 CLRED TO FL200. WE WERE TOLD TO DSND IMMEDIATELY 190. WE COMPLIED IMMEDIATELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 240806: I WAS FLYING AS CAPT ON ACR X FROM DEN TO GJT. I BELIEVE WE HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB TO FL200. AS WE PASSED THROUGH FL190 WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE FROM ZDV FOR THE NEXT SECTOR AT ZDV. WE SIGNED ON THE FREQ AS CLBING TO FL200. THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL190 FOR TFC. WE PROMPTLY COMPLIED. ZDV THEN INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A POSSIBLE LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

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.