<< >> NASA ASRS Report 433422, March 1999

An A320 received a clearance to 10000 ft MSL from 9000 ft MSL. Controller immediately reinstated the altitude to 9000 ft MSL and issued a traffic alert at 10000 ft MSL.

Attributes
ACN	433422
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sea.vortac
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s46.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	433422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were climbing to assigned altitude of 9000 ft. At approximately 8000 ft, departure control issued the clearance, 'maintain 10000 ft.' I reset the FCU to 10000 ft, while the first officer read back the new altitude. At 9000 ft the controller told us to maintain 9000 ft and issued us 'traffic 1 O'clock, opposite direction at 10000 ft. I realized at this moment that he issued us the 10000 ft clearance in error. I disconnected the autoplt and leveled the aircraft back down to 9000 ft. We reached an altitude of 9200 ft in the process. The controller sounded very irritated with us, and told us to maintain 9000 ft as we had traffic at 10000 ft. We told him we had been issued 10000 ft but would maintain 9000 ft. He stated he would review the tapes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL FROM 9000 FT MSL. CTLR IMMEDIATELY REINSTATED THE ALT TO 9000 FT MSL AND ISSUED A TFC ALERT AT 10000 FT MSL.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT. AT APPROX 8000 FT, DEP CTL ISSUED THE CLRNC, 'MAINTAIN 10000 FT.' I RESET THE FCU TO 10000 FT, WHILE THE FO READ BACK THE NEW ALT. AT 9000 FT THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AND ISSUED US 'TFC 1 O'CLOCK, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 10000 FT. I REALIZED AT THIS MOMENT THAT HE ISSUED US THE 10000 FT CLRNC IN ERROR. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED THE ACFT BACK DOWN TO 9000 FT. WE REACHED AN ALT OF 9200 FT IN THE PROCESS. THE CTLR SOUNDED VERY IRRITATED WITH US, AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT AS WE HAD TFC AT 10000 FT. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD BEEN ISSUED 10000 FT BUT WOULD MAINTAIN 9000 FT. HE STATED HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES.

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.