Flight crew of a B737-800 transposes ATC clearance and initiates wrong point climb.

Attributes
ACN	480785
Time
Date	200007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : sunde
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute airway : a300.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : a300.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	480785
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	480782
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to sju from ewr (route A300 non radar) at FL330, commercial radio relayed a message from ZNY to climb to FL370. Commercial radio told us to start a climb to FL370 at 3030N, to cross pulls intersection at FL370. I read back and wrote down 33N to start the climb. The controller corrected me and told me to climb at 3030N. I wrote down 30N, under the 33N, and confused this for 333 on which the captain had also written down. We then proceeded to climb at 3330N and reported at FL370. We were then told by commercial radio to descend back down to FL330. I think the main thing I could have done is to have requested the clearance again, written it down on a fresh piece of paper, and then confirmed it with commercial radio and the captain. Supplemental information from acn 480472: at about abeam bermuda 3130N we were selcaled and told to descend to FL330 and to call ZNY as soon as possible and were given a phone number. On the ground at sju, I called ZNY and was told we had a loss of separation with another aircraft (required separation was 15 mins, they had estimated that we had 5 mins). I believe ZNY should have not issued the climb clearance so far in advance, +/-300 mi. I need to be careful when receiving a clearance, especially when so many numbers are the same. I also need to be sure I understand the clearance, and state it to the other crew members.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-800 TRANSPOSES ATC CLRNC AND INITIATES WRONG POINT CLB.

Narrative: ENRTE TO SJU FROM EWR (RTE A300 NON RADAR) AT FL330, COMMERCIAL RADIO RELAYED A MESSAGE FROM ZNY TO CLB TO FL370. COMMERCIAL RADIO TOLD US TO START A CLB TO FL370 AT 3030N, TO CROSS PULLS INTXN AT FL370. I READ BACK AND WROTE DOWN 33N TO START THE CLB. THE CTLR CORRECTED ME AND TOLD ME TO CLB AT 3030N. I WROTE DOWN 30N, UNDER THE 33N, AND CONFUSED THIS FOR 333 ON WHICH THE CAPT HAD ALSO WRITTEN DOWN. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO CLB AT 3330N AND RPTED AT FL370. WE WERE THEN TOLD BY COMMERCIAL RADIO TO DSND BACK DOWN TO FL330. I THINK THE MAIN THING I COULD HAVE DONE IS TO HAVE REQUESTED THE CLRNC AGAIN, WRITTEN IT DOWN ON A FRESH PIECE OF PAPER, AND THEN CONFIRMED IT WITH COMMERCIAL RADIO AND THE CAPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 480472: AT ABOUT ABEAM BERMUDA 3130N WE WERE SELCALED AND TOLD TO DSND TO FL330 AND TO CALL ZNY ASAP AND WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER. ON THE GND AT SJU, I CALLED ZNY AND WAS TOLD WE HAD A LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT (REQUIRED SEPARATION WAS 15 MINS, THEY HAD ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD 5 MINS). I BELIEVE ZNY SHOULD HAVE NOT ISSUED THE CLB CLRNC SO FAR IN ADVANCE, +/-300 MI. I NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN RECEIVING A CLRNC, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY NUMBERS ARE THE SAME. I ALSO NEED TO BE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE CLRNC, AND STATE IT TO THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS.

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.