Narrative:

Frequency/altitude, cle/FL330. ATC facility, cle. Location, 50 mi west djb. Given climb clearance to FL350 and cross 10 mi west djb at FL350. During readback flight attendant entered cockpit with reported burning smell. Subsequent frequency change and further subsequent frequency change and climb to FL370 resulted in crossing at 10 mi east of djb. Controller reported we were 8 mi west of djb and directed a turn to complete climb. No conflicts resulted. Uncertain whether we read back 10 mi west or east. Distracted by flight attendant cabin report. Aircraft could have made crossing west but I planned for east because that's what I heard. Supplemental information from acn 381437: first officer flying received clearance to cross 10 mi east of djb FL350. As clearance was being copied purser entered with report of burning smell in cabin. Subsequent clearance to FL370 approximately 10 mi west djb controller queries as to whether we would make FL350 at 10 mi west of djb, started maximum rate climb approximately 8 DME FL343 given heading 090 degrees, crossed djb FL360 climbing, no conflicts noted. I wasn't sure after debriefing with first officer as to the true clearance as I didn't finish writing it down due to interruption.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW FAILS TO COMPLY WITH AN ATC ALT XING RESTR. CREW CITES DISTR AS CLRNC ISSUED WHEN CABIN ATTENDANT ENTERS COCKPIT WITH A RPT OF A BURNING SMELL IN CABIN. CTLR LATER VECTORS ACFT FOR REMAINING CLB FOR TFC SEPARATION.

Narrative: FREQ/ALT, CLE/FL330. ATC FACILITY, CLE. LOCATION, 50 MI W DJB. GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO FL350 AND CROSS 10 MI W DJB AT FL350. DURING READBACK FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED COCKPIT WITH RPTED BURNING SMELL. SUBSEQUENT FREQ CHANGE AND FURTHER SUBSEQUENT FREQ CHANGE AND CLB TO FL370 RESULTED IN XING AT 10 MI E OF DJB. CTLR RPTED WE WERE 8 MI W OF DJB AND DIRECTED A TURN TO COMPLETE CLB. NO CONFLICTS RESULTED. UNCERTAIN WHETHER WE READ BACK 10 MI W OR E. DISTRACTED BY FLT ATTENDANT CABIN RPT. ACFT COULD HAVE MADE XING W BUT I PLANNED FOR E BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 381437: FO FLYING RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS 10 MI E OF DJB FL350. AS CLRNC WAS BEING COPIED PURSER ENTERED WITH RPT OF BURNING SMELL IN CABIN. SUBSEQUENT CLRNC TO FL370 APPROX 10 MI W DJB CTLR QUERIES AS TO WHETHER WE WOULD MAKE FL350 AT 10 MI W OF DJB, STARTED MAX RATE CLB APPROX 8 DME FL343 GIVEN HDG 090 DEGS, CROSSED DJB FL360 CLBING, NO CONFLICTS NOTED. I WASN'T SURE AFTER DEBRIEFING WITH FO AS TO THE TRUE CLRNC AS I DIDN'T FINISH WRITING IT DOWN DUE TO INTERRUPTION.

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.