Captain of a super MD80 believed that he was given clearance to climb and found that clearance had n...

Attributes
ACN	427491
Time
Date	199902
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ttt airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : dfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	427491
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: 15 mi west of dtw, maverick VOR. I was hand flying the departure and climb out. As we turned wbound approaching 8500 ft, we received a TCASII alert for traffic inbound and level at 11000 ft. The WX was perfect VFR and we had visual with the traffic. I leveled at 10000 ft and began our acceleration on a heading of 270 degrees. Just about this time, departure gave us a right turn to intercept the 275 degree radial on the transition. The traffic was already well to our north and I thought I heard a clearance for us to climb to 17000 ft. I began a climb and received an altitude alert as we left 10000 ft. The first officer immediately asked departure to verify our clearance. The departure controller acted as if there was no conflict and we descended back to 10000 ft without pinning the flight attendants to the ceiling. I don't think we created any alarms at departure control. The entire incident was my creation and the first officer performed admirably the entire time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A SUPER MD80 BELIEVED THAT HE WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB AND FOUND THAT CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN AFTER FO CHKED WITH DEP CTLR. THE CAPT RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: LOCATION: 15 MI W OF DTW, MAVERICK VOR. I WAS HAND FLYING THE DEP AND CLBOUT. AS WE TURNED WBOUND APCHING 8500 FT, WE RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT FOR TFC INBOUND AND LEVEL AT 11000 FT. THE WX WAS PERFECT VFR AND WE HAD VISUAL WITH THE TFC. I LEVELED AT 10000 FT AND BEGAN OUR ACCELERATION ON A HDG OF 270 DEGS. JUST ABOUT THIS TIME, DEP GAVE US A R TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 275 DEG RADIAL ON THE TRANSITION. THE TFC WAS ALREADY WELL TO OUR N AND I THOUGHT I HEARD A CLRNC FOR US TO CLB TO 17000 FT. I BEGAN A CLB AND RECEIVED AN ALT ALERT AS WE LEFT 10000 FT. THE FO IMMEDIATELY ASKED DEP TO VERIFY OUR CLRNC. THE DEP CTLR ACTED AS IF THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND WE DSNDED BACK TO 10000 FT WITHOUT PINNING THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO THE CEILING. I DON'T THINK WE CREATED ANY ALARMS AT DEP CTL. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS MY CREATION AND THE FO PERFORMED ADMIRABLY THE ENTIRE TIME.

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.

Captain of a super MD80 believed that he was given clearance to climb and found that clearance had not been given after first officer checked with departure controller. The captain returned immediately to assigned altitude.