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A B737-300 flight crew climbs towards FL370 when the controller had cleared them to FL270. Flight plan filed had requested FL270.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 416080 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zoa |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa tower : iah |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zoa |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10120 |
| ASRS Report | 416080 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 416078 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On climb out passing FL220 we were given a frequency change to ZOA (hi). We contacted center and were given a clearance to climb to and maintain FL370. We heard FL370 and read back FL370, and continued to climb to FL370. Out of FL283, ZOA called and said, 'say altitude.' we responded with 'FL283' and were told to maintain FL270. We descended to FL270. We asked if there was a conflict. Center responded that there was no conflict. This particular leg, smf to las, occurred on the last day of a 3 day trip. It was the next to the last leg in a 3 day trip with 17 legs. We were both tired, and feel the 'cumulative effect' of the previous 2 long days played a role in our fatigue at the end of this third day. Our filed altitude by our dispatch was FL270. It crossed my mind when I heard the clearance to FL370 that we should check with center to verify FL370 and not FL270. Next time I will. However, there are times when center will give us a different altitude than filed, sometimes higher sometimes lower. Because they (center) know that the ride is better up higher or WX is such that a higher or lower altitude would be better. But I, we, heard FL370 or thought we did, so much so in fact that we read back FL370 and continued the climb to FL370. Next time, question the controller when 'filed' is different than 'heard' if they offer no explanation for different altitude. In this case, no one said anything. Supplemental information from acn 416078: we discussed the fact that we had only filed to cruise at FL270, but we both clearly heard the controller and understood him to say 'climb to FL370,' so we complied without question.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 FLC CLBS TOWARDS FL370 WHEN THE CTLR HAD CLRED THEM TO FL270. FLT PLAN FILED HAD REQUESTED FL270.
Narrative: ON CLBOUT PASSING FL220 WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO ZOA (HI). WE CONTACTED CTR AND WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL370. WE HEARD FL370 AND READ BACK FL370, AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO FL370. OUT OF FL283, ZOA CALLED AND SAID, 'SAY ALT.' WE RESPONDED WITH 'FL283' AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL270. WE DSNDED TO FL270. WE ASKED IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT. CTR RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. THIS PARTICULAR LEG, SMF TO LAS, OCCURRED ON THE LAST DAY OF A 3 DAY TRIP. IT WAS THE NEXT TO THE LAST LEG IN A 3 DAY TRIP WITH 17 LEGS. WE WERE BOTH TIRED, AND FEEL THE 'CUMULATIVE EFFECT' OF THE PREVIOUS 2 LONG DAYS PLAYED A ROLE IN OUR FATIGUE AT THE END OF THIS THIRD DAY. OUR FILED ALT BY OUR DISPATCH WAS FL270. IT CROSSED MY MIND WHEN I HEARD THE CLRNC TO FL370 THAT WE SHOULD CHK WITH CTR TO VERIFY FL370 AND NOT FL270. NEXT TIME I WILL. HOWEVER, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN CTR WILL GIVE US A DIFFERENT ALT THAN FILED, SOMETIMES HIGHER SOMETIMES LOWER. BECAUSE THEY (CTR) KNOW THAT THE RIDE IS BETTER UP HIGHER OR WX IS SUCH THAT A HIGHER OR LOWER ALT WOULD BE BETTER. BUT I, WE, HEARD FL370 OR THOUGHT WE DID, SO MUCH SO IN FACT THAT WE READ BACK FL370 AND CONTINUED THE CLB TO FL370. NEXT TIME, QUESTION THE CTLR WHEN 'FILED' IS DIFFERENT THAN 'HEARD' IF THEY OFFER NO EXPLANATION FOR DIFFERENT ALT. IN THIS CASE, NO ONE SAID ANYTHING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 416078: WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT WE HAD ONLY FILED TO CRUISE AT FL270, BUT WE BOTH CLRLY HEARD THE CTLR AND UNDERSTOOD HIM TO SAY 'CLB TO FL370,' SO WE COMPLIED WITHOUT QUESTION.
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.