Confusion over heading and altitude assignments caused crew to leveloff 1000 ft high.

Attributes
ACN	489410
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : col.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	489410
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 830
ASRS Report	489408
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During flight segment from lga to pbi, while under control of ZNY we deviated from altitude by roughly 1500 ft. During climb out vectors we were given and read back a clearance we understood to be 'turn to heading 170 degrees, climb and maintain FL180.' both pilots verified that we had put the correct numbers in the correct windows and proceeded to fly as programmed. While executing clearance we were given a frequency change, which also included several 8's and 7's. After waiting for a break to check in we called in out of 17500 ft for FL180. Wrong frequency. Back to old frequency, back to new frequency. We had already reset altimeters in preparation for leveloff. Current altimeter was 30.46 so resetting added roughly 500 ft to our off altitude situation. Checked in and were told we had been cleared to heading 180 degrees, and 17000 ft. Went back down and were told 'no problem' by controller. Problem arose because of quick instructions and interchangeable altitudes and headings. Contributing factors were an XA15 wake up, and end of the day fatigue, and normal nyc frequency congestion preventing us from a timely check-in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION OVER HEADING AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS CAUSED CREW TO LEVELOFF 1000 FT HIGH.

Narrative: DURING FLT SEGMENT FROM LGA TO PBI, WHILE UNDER CTL OF ZNY WE DEVIATED FROM ALT BY ROUGHLY 1500 FT. DURING CLBOUT VECTORS WE WERE GIVEN AND READ BACK A CLRNC WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE 'TURN TO HEADING 170 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN FL180.' BOTH PLTS VERIFIED THAT WE HAD PUT THE CORRECT NUMBERS IN THE CORRECT WINDOWS AND PROCEEDED TO FLY AS PROGRAMMED. WHILE EXECUTING CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED SEVERAL 8'S AND 7'S. AFTER WAITING FOR A BREAK TO CHK IN WE CALLED IN OUT OF 17500 FT FOR FL180. WRONG FREQ. BACK TO OLD FREQ, BACK TO NEW FREQ. WE HAD ALREADY RESET ALTIMETERS IN PREPARATION FOR LEVELOFF. CURRENT ALTIMETER WAS 30.46 SO RESETTING ADDED ROUGHLY 500 FT TO OUR OFF ALT SIT. CHKED IN AND WERE TOLD WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO HEADING 180 DEGS, AND 17000 FT. WENT BACK DOWN AND WERE TOLD 'NO PROB' BY CTLR. PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF QUICK INSTRUCTIONS AND INTERCHANGEABLE ALTS AND HEADINGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE AN XA15 WAKE UP, AND END OF THE DAY FATIGUE, AND NORMAL NYC FREQ CONGESTION PREVENTING US FROM A TIMELY CHK-IN.

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.