Narrative:

We received a clearance to climb VFR below 13000 ft to maintain FL180. During the climb, a new altitude clearance was given to maintain 13000 ft. This was given and received through approximately 10500 ft. While climbing through approximately 11500-12500 ft, a vector clearance was given to fly a heading of 180 degrees (0R 1-8-0). This clearance of 1-8-0 was misinterpreted in my mind as an altitude of FL180, which was also the filed altitude. Climb was conducted through 13000 ft. ATC called while climbing through 13800-14000 ft to verify altitude. Then a second call was made to climb to an altitude of FL180. A third call came from ATC to verify previously assigned altitude. It was confirmed that the formerly assigned altitude was 13000 ft. Both I and the captain missed the cleared to or amended climb to altitude. Consequently, we deviated from the assigned altitude. The aircraft we were flying is equipped with an altitude alerter. However, as in this case and in many similar sits, after the alerter sounds at 1000 ft within the set altitude, many new clrncs are given, or other distrs, as in looking for conflicting traffic, often occur. I personally would like to have an alerter which also sounds when within plus or minus 300 ft of the desired altitude along with the plus or minus 1000 ft alert signal, because of the distrs within that last 1000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SMT MISREAD 180 HDG FOR 180 ALT AND CLBED THROUGH ITS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CLB VFR BELOW 13000 FT TO MAINTAIN FL180. DURING THE CLB, A NEW ALT CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO MAINTAIN 13000 FT. THIS WAS GIVEN AND RECEIVED THROUGH APPROX 10500 FT. WHILE CLBING THROUGH APPROX 11500-12500 FT, A VECTOR CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO FLY A HDG OF 180 DEGS (0R 1-8-0). THIS CLRNC OF 1-8-0 WAS MISINTERPRETED IN MY MIND AS AN ALT OF FL180, WHICH WAS ALSO THE FILED ALT. CLB WAS CONDUCTED THROUGH 13000 FT. ATC CALLED WHILE CLBING THROUGH 13800-14000 FT TO VERIFY ALT. THEN A SECOND CALL WAS MADE TO CLB TO AN ALT OF FL180. A THIRD CALL CAME FROM ATC TO VERIFY PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT. IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FORMERLY ASSIGNED ALT WAS 13000 FT. BOTH I AND THE CAPT MISSED THE CLRED TO OR AMENDED CLB TO ALT. CONSEQUENTLY, WE DEVIATED FROM THE ASSIGNED ALT. THE ACFT WE WERE FLYING IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ALT ALERTER. HOWEVER, AS IN THIS CASE AND IN MANY SIMILAR SITS, AFTER THE ALERTER SOUNDS AT 1000 FT WITHIN THE SET ALT, MANY NEW CLRNCS ARE GIVEN, OR OTHER DISTRS, AS IN LOOKING FOR CONFLICTING TFC, OFTEN OCCUR. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ALERTER WHICH ALSO SOUNDS WHEN WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS 300 FT OF THE DESIRED ALT ALONG WITH THE PLUS OR MINUS 1000 FT ALERT SIGNAL, BECAUSE OF THE DISTRS WITHIN THAT LAST 1000 FT.

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.