Air carrier and center have a miscom resulting in a possible altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	454090
Time
Date	199911
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 37500
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ua300.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	454090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
ASRS Report	454091
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

From bvi pakon FL350, requested FL390, told to standby. After 5 mins, requested it again. Controller said 'climb to three niner zero.' we acknowledged call. Passing FL375 controller asked our altitude. We told him. He said 'descend back to FL350 for center coordination.' we did so, no traffic was observed visually or on TCASII and controller did not seem too concerned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR AND CTR HAVE A MISCOM RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE ALTDEV.

Narrative: FROM BVI PAKON FL350, REQUESTED FL390, TOLD TO STANDBY. AFTER 5 MINS, REQUESTED IT AGAIN. CTLR SAID 'CLB TO THREE NINER ZERO.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED CALL. PASSING FL375 CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. WE TOLD HIM. HE SAID 'DSND BACK TO FL350 FOR CTR COORD.' WE DID SO, NO TFC WAS OBSERVED VISUALLY OR ON TCASII AND CTLR DID NOT SEEM TOO CONCERNED.

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.