Delay in climb to cleared altitude due to clearance confusion.

Attributes
ACN	302734
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	302734
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were cleared direct to shv and told to climb to 16000 ft. We didn't believe we were able to accept the clearance to shv because shv is an airport, not a NAVAID, route, or fix. We discussed this among ourselves and with the controller. In the process we failed to initiate our climb from 12000 ft to 16000 ft. Controllers and pilots need to have the same criteria for accepting/giving clrncs. Controllers commonly clear us to airports which we cannot navigation to in the event of communication failure. I and most other pilots don't believe it is legal for us to accept these clrncs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAY IN CLB TO CLRED ALT DUE TO CLRNC CONFUSION.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO SHV AND TOLD TO CLB TO 16000 FT. WE DIDN'T BELIEVE WE WERE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE CLRNC TO SHV BECAUSE SHV IS AN ARPT, NOT A NAVAID, RTE, OR FIX. WE DISCUSSED THIS AMONG OURSELVES AND WITH THE CTLR. IN THE PROCESS WE FAILED TO INITIATE OUR CLB FROM 12000 FT TO 16000 FT. CTLRS AND PLTS NEED TO HAVE THE SAME CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTING/GIVING CLRNCS. CTLRS COMMONLY CLR US TO ARPTS WHICH WE CANNOT NAV TO IN THE EVENT OF COM FAILURE. I AND MOST OTHER PLTS DON'T BELIEVE IT IS LEGAL FOR US TO ACCEPT THESE CLRNCS.

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.