Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft climbed above assigned altitude due to...

Attributes
ACN	245522
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33900
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	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	245522
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	246045
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Routine flight until at XA40 at FL330 near abq. I decided to ask for FL370 for fuel economy purposes and requested such from ZAB. A clearance was received and read back 'turn left 15 degrees, vectors for climb. Maintain FL370.' by then the controller was talking to another aircraft and did not acknowledge my readback. Passing FL337 a TCASII TA occurred. I reported this to ZAB. The reply was 'you're supposed to be at FL330.' both pilots immediately reacted and a quick descent to FL330 was done. A few mins later I was notified that a possible pilot deviation report might be filed and given a ZAB telephone number. I called on jul/xx/93 and listened to the tape. The clearance issued by the controller was 'turn left 15 degrees, vectors for your climb, maintain FL330, expect FL370 when clear of traffic.' both pilots misheard this and my readback was made for a climb. Although we were near the end of a long tedious day I did not feel unusually fatigued. The fact that the controller was talking to several aircraft in a short time frame and did not recognize the error of our readback seems to be the main factor in this incident. I was told by the ZAB manager that a controller operational error incident report had been processed. No further incidents this flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF AN EXPECTED CLB CLRNC.

Narrative: ROUTINE FLT UNTIL AT XA40 AT FL330 NEAR ABQ. I DECIDED TO ASK FOR FL370 FOR FUEL ECONOMY PURPOSES AND REQUESTED SUCH FROM ZAB. A CLRNC WAS RECEIVED AND READ BACK 'TURN L 15 DEGS, VECTORS FOR CLB. MAINTAIN FL370.' BY THEN THE CTLR WAS TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY READBACK. PASSING FL337 A TCASII TA OCCURRED. I RPTED THIS TO ZAB. THE REPLY WAS 'YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT FL330.' BOTH PLTS IMMEDIATELY REACTED AND A QUICK DSCNT TO FL330 WAS DONE. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS NOTIFIED THAT A POSSIBLE PLTDEV RPT MIGHT BE FILED AND GIVEN A ZAB TELEPHONE NUMBER. I CALLED ON JUL/XX/93 AND LISTENED TO THE TAPE. THE CLRNC ISSUED BY THE CTLR WAS 'TURN L 15 DEGS, VECTORS FOR YOUR CLB, MAINTAIN FL330, EXPECT FL370 WHEN CLR OF TFC.' BOTH PLTS MISHEARD THIS AND MY READBACK WAS MADE FOR A CLB. ALTHOUGH WE WERE NEAR THE END OF A LONG TEDIOUS DAY I DID NOT FEEL UNUSUALLY FATIGUED. THE FACT THAT THE CTLR WAS TALKING TO SEVERAL ACFT IN A SHORT TIME FRAME AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE ERROR OF OUR READBACK SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD BY THE ZAB MGR THAT A CTLR OPERROR INCIDENT RPT HAD BEEN PROCESSED. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS THIS FLT.

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.

Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft climbed above assigned altitude due to a misunderstanding of an expected climb clearance.