Narrative:

While departing ord airport, we were on radar vectors and level at 5000 ft MSL. I was the captain and PF. We were paralleling a line of very small buildups to our left, tops around 8000-13000 ft. ATC gave us a turn to the left and a climb to 14000 ft. I asked the copilot to request we delay the turn until we could gain a little altitude. The controller was very busy, and the copilot was unable to get the request in. As the copilot was tied up with the radio work, and I was anxious to gain altitude and comply with the last clearance, I set the 14000 ft in the altitude window, and confirmed it with the copilot. I then began the climb, turning slowly to the assigned heading. I am uncertain whether the copilot was able to read back the clearance, as the controller was issuing instructions non-stop. As we were climbing through 13800 ft, the controller questioned our altitude, and stated we were assigned 13000 ft. We immediately returned to 13000 ft. I was certain that the clearance was to 14000 ft but should not have put it in the altitude window as the PF. This is not SOP, and may have influenced the copilot in what he thought the assigned altitude was. This communication problem can also be attributed to the change in controller's responsibility for readback of clrncs. Since the controllers are no longer responsible for getting the correct readback of a clearance, the communication process has no feedback for faulty communication. I was very certain we were given 14000 ft and confirmed this with the copilot. However, because of the controller's high workload and lack of responsibility for readback verification, he had no incentive to wait for a readback. Further, I'm not sure a wrong readback would have been caught.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV DURING DEP FROM CHICAGO. WX WAS A FACTOR.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING ORD ARPT, WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS AND LEVEL AT 5000 FT MSL. I WAS THE CAPT AND PF. WE WERE PARALLELING A LINE OF VERY SMALL BUILDUPS TO OUR L, TOPS AROUND 8000-13000 FT. ATC GAVE US A TURN TO THE L AND A CLB TO 14000 FT. I ASKED THE COPLT TO REQUEST WE DELAY THE TURN UNTIL WE COULD GAIN A LITTLE ALT. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, AND THE COPLT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE REQUEST IN. AS THE COPLT WAS TIED UP WITH THE RADIO WORK, AND I WAS ANXIOUS TO GAIN ALT AND COMPLY WITH THE LAST CLRNC, I SET THE 14000 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW, AND CONFIRMED IT WITH THE COPLT. I THEN BEGAN THE CLB, TURNING SLOWLY TO THE ASSIGNED HDG. I AM UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE COPLT WAS ABLE TO READ BACK THE CLRNC, AS THE CTLR WAS ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS NON-STOP. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 13800 FT, THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT, AND STATED WE WERE ASSIGNED 13000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 13000 FT. I WAS CERTAIN THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO 14000 FT BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE PUT IT IN THE ALT WINDOW AS THE PF. THIS IS NOT SOP, AND MAY HAVE INFLUENCED THE COPLT IN WHAT HE THOUGHT THE ASSIGNED ALT WAS. THIS COM PROB CAN ALSO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE CHANGE IN CTLR'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR READBACK OF CLRNCS. SINCE THE CTLRS ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE CORRECT READBACK OF A CLRNC, THE COM PROCESS HAS NO FEEDBACK FOR FAULTY COM. I WAS VERY CERTAIN WE WERE GIVEN 14000 FT AND CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE COPLT. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE CTLR'S HIGH WORKLOAD AND LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR READBACK VERIFICATION, HE HAD NO INCENTIVE TO WAIT FOR A READBACK. FURTHER, I'M NOT SURE A WRONG READBACK WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT.

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.