Narrative:

Received IFR clearance hln to bil as filed (canned IFR flight plan) climb and maintain 13000 ft departure on tower 118.3, squawk XXXX on the ground in hln by hln ground 121.9. Just before takeoff clearance on runway 27, tower gave an amended clearance, 'climb and maintain 12000 ft, expect direct bil 20 NM out or you can request the airway. Cleared for takeoff right turn on course approved, report leaving 10000 ft for 12000 ft. Leaving 10000 ft for 12000 ft, change to ZLC on 133.4, good night.' my intercom, copilot and PNF did not work. We used an intercom box that was plugged in at the captain's phone jack -- it worked. The captain had to make all radio calls and he was PF. Radio reception with hln tower, ground and departure were good. My captain changed from 118.3 to ATC ZLC on 133.4. We reached 12000 ft some 15 NM out. My captain was unable to get a response to his calls made to ATC between 10000 ft and 12000 ft. He continued his climb through 12000 ft! I had made the standard callouts 1000 ft to go, 500 ft to go, on altitude 12000 ft. He was bothered by my callouts as he forgot to call ATC. When he climbed through 12400 ft, ATC responded to his call and he continued his climb to 13000 ft for as he said, 'this is what we usually get!' he made no effort to go down to 12000 ft. ZLC accepted that he was now at 13000 ft as he claimed radio failure/problem in not picking at ZKC on 133.4. ATC requested to know our clearance, to which my captain read back to ATC. I believed as I also stated to my captain that our company plane was most likely at 13000 ft in the very same area as we were at IMC! Flying the very same airway and altitude to bil. I did not like it. Unable to do corrective actions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH 99 FLC FAILED TO MAINTAIN ALT ASSIGNED BY ZLC.

Narrative: RECEIVED IFR CLRNC HLN TO BIL AS FILED (CANNED IFR FLT PLAN) CLB AND MAINTAIN 13000 FT DEP ON TWR 118.3, SQUAWK XXXX ON THE GND IN HLN BY HLN GND 121.9. JUST BEFORE TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 27, TWR GAVE AN AMENDED CLRNC, 'CLB AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT, EXPECT DIRECT BIL 20 NM OUT OR YOU CAN REQUEST THE AIRWAY. CLRED FOR TKOF R TURN ON COURSE APPROVED, RPT LEAVING 10000 FT FOR 12000 FT. LEAVING 10000 FT FOR 12000 FT, CHANGE TO ZLC ON 133.4, GOOD NIGHT.' MY INTERCOM, COPLT AND PNF DID NOT WORK. WE USED AN INTERCOM BOX THAT WAS PLUGGED IN AT THE CAPT'S PHONE JACK -- IT WORKED. THE CAPT HAD TO MAKE ALL RADIO CALLS AND HE WAS PF. RADIO RECEPTION WITH HLN TWR, GND AND DEP WERE GOOD. MY CAPT CHANGED FROM 118.3 TO ATC ZLC ON 133.4. WE REACHED 12000 FT SOME 15 NM OUT. MY CAPT WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE TO HIS CALLS MADE TO ATC BTWN 10000 FT AND 12000 FT. HE CONTINUED HIS CLB THROUGH 12000 FT! I HAD MADE THE STANDARD CALLOUTS 1000 FT TO GO, 500 FT TO GO, ON ALT 12000 FT. HE WAS BOTHERED BY MY CALLOUTS AS HE FORGOT TO CALL ATC. WHEN HE CLBED THROUGH 12400 FT, ATC RESPONDED TO HIS CALL AND HE CONTINUED HIS CLB TO 13000 FT FOR AS HE SAID, 'THIS IS WHAT WE USUALLY GET!' HE MADE NO EFFORT TO GO DOWN TO 12000 FT. ZLC ACCEPTED THAT HE WAS NOW AT 13000 FT AS HE CLAIMED RADIO FAILURE/PROB IN NOT PICKING AT ZKC ON 133.4. ATC REQUESTED TO KNOW OUR CLRNC, TO WHICH MY CAPT READ BACK TO ATC. I BELIEVED AS I ALSO STATED TO MY CAPT THAT OUR COMPANY PLANE WAS MOST LIKELY AT 13000 FT IN THE VERY SAME AREA AS WE WERE AT IMC! FLYING THE VERY SAME AIRWAY AND ALT TO BIL. I DID NOT LIKE IT. UNABLE TO DO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.

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.