<< >> NASA ASRS Report 518470, July 2001

A B757 captain attempted to read back a climb clearance from ZDC, but received no confirmation until, after a third call, ZDC said to remain at their original altitude.

Attributes
ACN	518470
Time
Date	200107
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ecg.vor
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31400
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pmp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	518470
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Sbound at FL310, just past sby, we heard ZDC clear us to FL350 and direct ecg. We read back the clearance twice with no acknowledgement. While initiating the climb to FL350, we called center to confirm the clearance. After a brief pause by center, we heard the controller telling us to maintain FL310. By the time we heard center re-clear us we were at FL314. A short time later, ZDC cleared us to FL350 and direct ecg. I'm not sure if the original clearance was for us or not. At the time we both thought it was.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT ATTEMPTED TO READ BACK A CLB CLRNC FROM ZDC, BUT RECEIVED NO CONFIRMATION UNTIL, AFTER A THIRD CALL, ZDC SAID TO REMAIN AT THEIR ORIGINAL ALT.

Narrative: SBOUND AT FL310, JUST PAST SBY, WE HEARD ZDC CLR US TO FL350 AND DIRECT ECG. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC TWICE WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. WHILE INITIATING THE CLB TO FL350, WE CALLED CTR TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC. AFTER A BRIEF PAUSE BY CTR, WE HEARD THE CTLR TELLING US TO MAINTAIN FL310. BY THE TIME WE HEARD CTR RE-CLR US WE WERE AT FL314. A SHORT TIME LATER, ZDC CLEARED US TO FL350 AND DIRECT ECG. I'M NOT SURE IF THE ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS FOR US OR NOT. AT THE TIME WE BOTH THOUGHT IT WAS.

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.