Narrative:

I was working radar east control position and was directly involved with an operational deviation in which a readback error occurred. OJT was being conducted. I was instructing. Workload moderate for the developmental (trainee) controller. Air carrier X called departure airborne (runway 36), right turn heading 040 degrees, climbing to 5000 ft. Air carrier X was radar idented, advised 'turn right heading 110 degrees, join victor 2, resume own navigation, climb and maintain 10000 ft.' air carrier X read back the clearance. During the readback, the developmental controller, while speaking aloud, indicated that she must initiate a pointout to ZAU lone rock sector as this aircraft would cross a stratified section of ZAU airspace approximately 10 mi wide. The pointout was immediately issued and approved by the ZAU controller. Prior to air carrier X reaching a cruising altitude of 10000 ft, the developmental controller xferred radio communications to mke approach after successfully completing an automated radar handoff. Within 1-2 mins of communication release, I observed air carrier X at an altitude of 10800 ft and immediately contacted the ZAU controller with regards to the deviation. I observed air carrier X level at 11000 ft, informed the ZAU controller of such. He advised us that the traffic was 'alright' and further discussion was terminated. I promptly notified the area supervisor in charge and was relieved of my control position. Further review of the audio tapes indicate that air carrier X properly read back the turn to 110 degrees and to join the assigned airway, however, the air crew read back an assigned altitude of 11000 instead of the actual assigned altitude of 10000 ft. Neither the developmental controller, myself, nor the sic (or pilot, pending who was communicating and who was flying), caught the error which led to the deviation. Primary contributing factor: air carrier X initially filed for 11000 ft. By LOA with mke approach control, mke arrs must be at 7000 ft, 9000 ft, or 10000 ft. The asic amended the requested altitude to comply with the LOA. Other factor: my failure to prioritize properly -- comprehend readbacks first, then comprehension of trainee intentions to make the pointout, as in this case. I placed a higher priority on the verbally spoken intention of future actions by the developmental. My belief of the problem: as an OJT instructor, I have made my priority, while training, to jot down notes as topic of discussion for later debrief. Not having flight progress strips directly in front of me leaves a larger than desirable margin of error. I have no reference except memory (no joggers) to aid me in the remembrance of instructions. Bottom line -- I missed the readback.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DC9 ENTERED CTR AIRSPACE AT WRONG ALT AFTER RPTR AND DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR MISSED WRONG ALT READBACK OF 11000 FT VICE 10000 FT BY FLC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING RADAR E CTL POS AND WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH AN OPDEV IN WHICH A READBACK ERROR OCCURRED. OJT WAS BEING CONDUCTED. I WAS INSTRUCTING. WORKLOAD MODERATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL (TRAINEE) CTLR. ACR X CALLED DEP AIRBORNE (RWY 36), R TURN HDG 040 DEGS, CLBING TO 5000 FT. ACR X WAS RADAR IDENTED, ADVISED 'TURN R HDG 110 DEGS, JOIN VICTOR 2, RESUME OWN NAV, CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' ACR X READ BACK THE CLRNC. DURING THE READBACK, THE DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR, WHILE SPEAKING ALOUD, INDICATED THAT SHE MUST INITIATE A POINTOUT TO ZAU LONE ROCK SECTOR AS THIS ACFT WOULD CROSS A STRATIFIED SECTION OF ZAU AIRSPACE APPROX 10 MI WIDE. THE POINTOUT WAS IMMEDIATELY ISSUED AND APPROVED BY THE ZAU CTLR. PRIOR TO ACR X REACHING A CRUISING ALT OF 10000 FT, THE DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR XFERRED RADIO COMS TO MKE APCH AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING AN AUTOMATED RADAR HDOF. WITHIN 1-2 MINS OF COM RELEASE, I OBSERVED ACR X AT AN ALT OF 10800 FT AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE ZAU CTLR WITH REGARDS TO THE DEV. I OBSERVED ACR X LEVEL AT 11000 FT, INFORMED THE ZAU CTLR OF SUCH. HE ADVISED US THAT THE TFC WAS 'ALRIGHT' AND FURTHER DISCUSSION WAS TERMINATED. I PROMPTLY NOTIFIED THE AREA SUPVR IN CHARGE AND WAS RELIEVED OF MY CTL POS. FURTHER REVIEW OF THE AUDIO TAPES INDICATE THAT ACR X PROPERLY READ BACK THE TURN TO 110 DEGS AND TO JOIN THE ASSIGNED AIRWAY, HOWEVER, THE AIR CREW READ BACK AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000 INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT. NEITHER THE DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR, MYSELF, NOR THE SIC (OR PLT, PENDING WHO WAS COMMUNICATING AND WHO WAS FLYING), CAUGHT THE ERROR WHICH LED TO THE DEV. PRIMARY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: ACR X INITIALLY FILED FOR 11000 FT. BY LOA WITH MKE APCH CTL, MKE ARRS MUST BE AT 7000 FT, 9000 FT, OR 10000 FT. THE ASIC AMENDED THE REQUESTED ALT TO COMPLY WITH THE LOA. OTHER FACTOR: MY FAILURE TO PRIORITIZE PROPERLY -- COMPREHEND READBACKS FIRST, THEN COMPREHENSION OF TRAINEE INTENTIONS TO MAKE THE POINTOUT, AS IN THIS CASE. I PLACED A HIGHER PRIORITY ON THE VERBALLY SPOKEN INTENTION OF FUTURE ACTIONS BY THE DEVELOPMENTAL. MY BELIEF OF THE PROB: AS AN OJT INSTRUCTOR, I HAVE MADE MY PRIORITY, WHILE TRAINING, TO JOT DOWN NOTES AS TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR LATER DEBRIEF. NOT HAVING FLT PROGRESS STRIPS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME LEAVES A LARGER THAN DESIRABLE MARGIN OF ERROR. I HAVE NO REF EXCEPT MEMORY (NO JOGGERS) TO AID ME IN THE REMEMBRANCE OF INSTRUCTIONS. BOTTOM LINE -- I MISSED THE READBACK.

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.