Narrative:

On mar/wed/00, at approximately XA12 local, we were handed off from phx departure to ZAB, after step climbing out of ffz. Last altitude was 10000 ft, cleared to 12000 ft by phx and turned over to abq. On checking in I advised out of 10000 ft climbing to 12000 ft. Acknowledged by abq. Several seconds later, after hearing other radio traffic, I thought I heard 'light transport 14000 ft' partially blocked on transmission. I read back 'light transport 14000 ft' and received no response, so we continued climbing to 14000 ft. A few seconds later the controller called traffic at 12 O'clock position and 1 mi. We saw target on TCASII at 1-2 mi +700 ft altitude as we climbed through 13000 ft. We advised we were IMC, had target on TCASII and were looking for traffic. A few seconds later the controller, sounding confused, asked what was assigned. I answered 14000 ft and he said that was for another aircraft and to descend to 12000 ft. We complied. Later phone contact with ARTCC controller supervisor, ZAB, quality assurance specialist revealed that an operational error had occurred on the controller's part, with a loss of separation. They are filing an incident report. No pilot deviation involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A BEECH KING AIR STOPPED CLBING AND DSNDED TO PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT AFTER ARTCC CTLR QUESTIONED THE ALT TO WHICH THEY WERE ASSIGNED BY DEP CTLR.

Narrative: ON MAR/WED/00, AT APPROX XA12 LCL, WE WERE HANDED OFF FROM PHX DEP TO ZAB, AFTER STEP CLBING OUT OF FFZ. LAST ALT WAS 10000 FT, CLRED TO 12000 FT BY PHX AND TURNED OVER TO ABQ. ON CHKING IN I ADVISED OUT OF 10000 FT CLBING TO 12000 FT. ACKNOWLEDGED BY ABQ. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, AFTER HEARING OTHER RADIO TFC, I THOUGHT I HEARD 'LTT 14000 FT' PARTIALLY BLOCKED ON XMISSION. I READ BACK 'LTT 14000 FT' AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE, SO WE CONTINUED CLBING TO 14000 FT. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CTLR CALLED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 1 MI. WE SAW TARGET ON TCASII AT 1-2 MI +700 FT ALT AS WE CLBED THROUGH 13000 FT. WE ADVISED WE WERE IMC, HAD TARGET ON TCASII AND WERE LOOKING FOR TFC. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CTLR, SOUNDING CONFUSED, ASKED WHAT WAS ASSIGNED. I ANSWERED 14000 FT AND HE SAID THAT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT AND TO DSND TO 12000 FT. WE COMPLIED. LATER PHONE CONTACT WITH ARTCC CTLR SUPVR, ZAB, QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST REVEALED THAT AN OPERROR HAD OCCURRED ON THE CTLR'S PART, WITH A LOSS OF SEPARATION. THEY ARE FILING AN INCIDENT RPT. NO PLTDEV INVOLVED.

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.