Altitude deviation altitude overshot in climb after receiving an amended clearance altitude change.

Attributes
ACN	311620
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrp airport : rdg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	311620
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4820 flight time type : 310
ASRS Report	311718
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight rdg-pit on jul/xx/95 took off on runway 31 from reading (rdg) and climbed to 4000 ft. We contacted har approach/departure on 118.25 and were cleared to 6000 ft. My first officer readback 6000 ft and selected 6000 ft on our altitude alerter. I verified the altitude, after it was set, as '6000 ft set.' climbing through 5800 ft to level at 6000 ft, the controller asked us to 'say altitude.' we stated 5800 ft for 6000 ft. He then said we had only been cleared to 5000 ft and when we said we had read back 6000 ft, he said 'no you were cleared to 5000 ft and read back 5000 ft.' we didn't argue of course, but I still believe that we were cleared to 6000 ft and read back 6000 ft because I heard the clearance, heard the readback, and watched the altitude being set correctly in our aircraft. Anyway, there was no conflict that we know of, and no other aircraft appeared anywhere on our TCASII on the 25 mi range or below. Supplemental information from acn 311718: after takeoff when departure switched us to another approach frequency, the approach facility gave us a multiple clearance including a clearance to 5000 ft MSL but I read back 6000 ft and put it in the altitude selector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT IN CLB AFTER RECEIVING AN AMENDED CLRNC ALT CHANGE.

Narrative: FLT RDG-PIT ON JUL/XX/95 TOOK OFF ON RWY 31 FROM READING (RDG) AND CLBED TO 4000 FT. WE CONTACTED HAR APCH/DEP ON 118.25 AND WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT. MY FO READBACK 6000 FT AND SELECTED 6000 FT ON OUR ALT ALERTER. I VERIFIED THE ALT, AFTER IT WAS SET, AS '6000 FT SET.' CLBING THROUGH 5800 FT TO LEVEL AT 6000 FT, THE CTLR ASKED US TO 'SAY ALT.' WE STATED 5800 FT FOR 6000 FT. HE THEN SAID WE HAD ONLY BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT AND WHEN WE SAID WE HAD READ BACK 6000 FT, HE SAID 'NO YOU WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT AND READ BACK 5000 FT.' WE DIDN'T ARGUE OF COURSE, BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT AND READ BACK 6000 FT BECAUSE I HEARD THE CLRNC, HEARD THE READBACK, AND WATCHED THE ALT BEING SET CORRECTLY IN OUR ACFT. ANYWAY, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT THAT WE KNOW OF, AND NO OTHER ACFT APPEARED ANYWHERE ON OUR TCASII ON THE 25 MI RANGE OR BELOW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 311718: AFTER TKOF WHEN DEP SWITCHED US TO ANOTHER APCH FREQ, THE APCH FACILITY GAVE US A MULTIPLE CLRNC INCLUDING A CLRNC TO 5000 FT MSL BUT I READ BACK 6000 FT AND PUT IT IN THE ALT SELECTOR.

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.