Flight crew of DC9 is issued confusing climb clearance and heading change, then issued 1000 ft desce...

Attributes
ACN	384155
Time
Date	199710
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mbs
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mbs
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	384155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were a lifeguard flight out of mbs to dtw level at 3000 ft MSL. The controller requested we climb to 6000 ft and turn right on course. We were showing 2 O'clock traffic 2000 ft above us so we asked again what we should do. This time it was 6000 ft on present heading. The controller sounded harried and was using some non standard phraseology. Controller then reported we were clear of traffic and to climb to 10000 ft. We repeated instructions and climbed to 10000 ft. At leveloff controller told us to descend to 9000 ft and turn to 240 degrees. The captain inquired why, as we had just leveled off and the controller replied we had a conflict with traffic and that she had just noticed we had climbed to 10000 ft instead of 9000 ft. Both the captain and I looked at each other and confirmed we had both heard 10000 ft and told her we had been cleared from 6000 ft to 10000 ft. Controller then cleared us back to 10000 ft and thanked us for our assistance. The controller sounded rather confused to us from the beginning and a little unsure of all her traffic. New perhaps, but the situation was very confusing. Situational awareness seemed shaky.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF DC9 IS ISSUED CONFUSING CLB CLRNC AND HEADING CHANGE, THEN ISSUED 1000 FT DSCNT CLRNC. CTLR USES NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY AND APPEARS 'HARRIED.'

Narrative: WE WERE A LIFEGUARD FLT OUT OF MBS TO DTW LEVEL AT 3000 FT MSL. THE CTLR REQUESTED WE CLB TO 6000 FT AND TURN R ON COURSE. WE WERE SHOWING 2 O'CLOCK TFC 2000 FT ABOVE US SO WE ASKED AGAIN WHAT WE SHOULD DO. THIS TIME IT WAS 6000 FT ON PRESENT HEADING. THE CTLR SOUNDED HARRIED AND WAS USING SOME NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. CTLR THEN RPTED WE WERE CLR OF TFC AND TO CLB TO 10000 FT. WE REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS AND CLBED TO 10000 FT. AT LEVELOFF CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 9000 FT AND TURN TO 240 DEGS. THE CAPT INQUIRED WHY, AS WE HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AND THE CTLR REPLIED WE HAD A CONFLICT WITH TFC AND THAT SHE HAD JUST NOTICED WE HAD CLBED TO 10000 FT INSTEAD OF 9000 FT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND CONFIRMED WE HAD BOTH HEARD 10000 FT AND TOLD HER WE HAD BEEN CLRED FROM 6000 FT TO 10000 FT. CTLR THEN CLRED US BACK TO 10000 FT AND THANKED US FOR OUR ASSISTANCE. THE CTLR SOUNDED RATHER CONFUSED TO US FROM THE BEGINNING AND A LITTLE UNSURE OF ALL HER TFC. NEW PERHAPS, BUT THE SIT WAS VERY CONFUSING. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SEEMED SHAKY.

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 DC9 is issued confusing climb clearance and heading change, then issued 1000 ft descent clearance. Controller uses non standard phraseology and appears 'harried.'