A climbing B727 is cleared to FL330 3 times -- from FL230 once, from FL300 once, and from FL323 the ...

Attributes
ACN	415811
Time
Date	199810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : txk
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	415811
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	415810
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

126.57, FL300, ZFW, txk VOR. Climbing to FL230 we were reclred to FL330. Center asked us to expedite our climb for traffic but did not say who, where, or how long. Through FL300, center said cleared to FL330. We thought this odd because he had never given us any other altitude. First officer read back cleared to FL330. Out of FL323, center called again and cleared us to FL330. This time we were concerned why he cleared us 3 times to the same altitude. We asked him what altitude he thought we were cleared to and he said FL310. I got on the radio and told him he had cleared us 3 times to FL330 and never cleared us anywhere else. He stated we had been cleared to FL310 and we read back FL310, which was never the case. The strangest part is that a few days earlier almost the same scenario played out in the same sector over txk VOR. The controller that day did the same thing -- cleared us to FL330, and when we started climbing, said he never cleared us out of FL260 and we all 3 heard the clearance. I don't know if it is the same guy or not, but it needs to be looked into.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING B727 IS CLRED TO FL330 3 TIMES -- FROM FL230 ONCE, FROM FL300 ONCE, AND FROM FL323 THE THIRD TIME. CTLR ALLEGED THAT THE CREW HAD READ BACK AN ORIGINAL CLRNC TO CLB TO FL310.

Narrative: 126.57, FL300, ZFW, TXK VOR. CLBING TO FL230 WE WERE RECLRED TO FL330. CTR ASKED US TO EXPEDITE OUR CLB FOR TFC BUT DID NOT SAY WHO, WHERE, OR HOW LONG. THROUGH FL300, CTR SAID CLRED TO FL330. WE THOUGHT THIS ODD BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER GIVEN US ANY OTHER ALT. FO READ BACK CLRED TO FL330. OUT OF FL323, CTR CALLED AGAIN AND CLRED US TO FL330. THIS TIME WE WERE CONCERNED WHY HE CLRED US 3 TIMES TO THE SAME ALT. WE ASKED HIM WHAT ALT HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO AND HE SAID FL310. I GOT ON THE RADIO AND TOLD HIM HE HAD CLRED US 3 TIMES TO FL330 AND NEVER CLRED US ANYWHERE ELSE. HE STATED WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL310 AND WE READ BACK FL310, WHICH WAS NEVER THE CASE. THE STRANGEST PART IS THAT A FEW DAYS EARLIER ALMOST THE SAME SCENARIO PLAYED OUT IN THE SAME SECTOR OVER TXK VOR. THE CTLR THAT DAY DID THE SAME THING -- CLRED US TO FL330, AND WHEN WE STARTED CLBING, SAID HE NEVER CLRED US OUT OF FL260 AND WE ALL 3 HEARD THE CLRNC. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE SAME GUY OR NOT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.

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.

A climbing B727 is cleared to FL330 3 times -- from FL230 once, from FL300 once, and from FL323 the third time. Controller alleged that the crew had read back an original clearance to climb to FL310.