Flight crew of a B737 overshot assigned altitude during climb due to confusion and lack of crew coor...

Attributes
ACN	421640
Time
Date	199812
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 23800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	421640
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	421637
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out from phx we were given 15000 ft and handed off to ZAB. ZAB stated that FL280 was rough and asked if we wanted to level off lower, at FL220. I thought I heard instructions to climb to FL280 and that it was rough(turbulence) below FL280. I dialed FL280 into the altitude alerter and continued the climb to that altitude. At approximately FL235, the ATC controller asked us to verify our altitude. We stated FL235 for FL280. The controller stated that our assigned altitude was FL220 and to expedite back to FL220. I (PF) never heard the FL220 assignment, however, the captain did recollect reading back FL220. I should have verified the altitude assignment with the captain after dialing in FL280 and this confusion would not have resulted. The controller said no conflicts resulted and verified the confusion on altitude assignment stating, 'I'm not sure you read back the proper altitude, so let's just forget it.' supplemental information from acn 421637: asked by ATC twice to expedite climb, 'through FL220 for FL280.' frequency 124.85 advised he would 'show FL220 as final' because of turbulence above. I'm not sure if the controller cleared us to level at FL220 and I just didn't get it into my head, or whether he used nonstandard phrasing and didn't get his point across, but our altitude alerter remained set at FL280, and I am usually adamant about altitude alerter setting procedures and xchks. I offered to phone call controller but he declined, said he wasn't sure exactly what happened either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737 OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT DURING CLB DUE TO CONFUSION AND LACK OF CREW COORD OF SETTING ALT ALERTER. ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED AND REQUESTED THEY RETURN TO THE ACTUAL ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM PHX WE WERE GIVEN 15000 FT AND HANDED OFF TO ZAB. ZAB STATED THAT FL280 WAS ROUGH AND ASKED IF WE WANTED TO LEVEL OFF LOWER, AT FL220. I THOUGHT I HEARD INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO FL280 AND THAT IT WAS ROUGH(TURB) BELOW FL280. I DIALED FL280 INTO THE ALT ALERTER AND CONTINUED THE CLB TO THAT ALT. AT APPROX FL235, THE ATC CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. WE STATED FL235 FOR FL280. THE CTLR STATED THAT OUR ASSIGNED ALT WAS FL220 AND TO EXPEDITE BACK TO FL220. I (PF) NEVER HEARD THE FL220 ASSIGNMENT, HOWEVER, THE CAPT DID RECOLLECT READING BACK FL220. I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE ALT ASSIGNMENT WITH THE CAPT AFTER DIALING IN FL280 AND THIS CONFUSION WOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED. THE CTLR SAID NO CONFLICTS RESULTED AND VERIFIED THE CONFUSION ON ALT ASSIGNMENT STATING, 'I'M NOT SURE YOU READ BACK THE PROPER ALT, SO LET'S JUST FORGET IT.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 421637: ASKED BY ATC TWICE TO EXPEDITE CLB, 'THROUGH FL220 FOR FL280.' FREQ 124.85 ADVISED HE WOULD 'SHOW FL220 AS FINAL' BECAUSE OF TURB ABOVE. I'M NOT SURE IF THE CTLR CLRED US TO LEVEL AT FL220 AND I JUST DIDN'T GET IT INTO MY HEAD, OR WHETHER HE USED NONSTANDARD PHRASING AND DIDN'T GET HIS POINT ACROSS, BUT OUR ALT ALERTER REMAINED SET AT FL280, AND I AM USUALLY ADAMANT ABOUT ALT ALERTER SETTING PROCS AND XCHKS. I OFFERED TO PHONE CALL CTLR BUT HE DECLINED, SAID HE WASN'T SURE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED EITHER.

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 a B737 overshot assigned altitude during climb due to confusion and lack of crew coordination of setting altitude alerter. ARTCC radar controller intervened and requested they return to the actual assigned altitude.