A new heading is issued when an aircraft climbs above the altitude the controller expected.

Attributes
ACN	521870
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ctw.vor
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	521870
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Passing through FL269, ATC called and said to change heading to 110 degrees (we were heading 080 degrees) and then said he had wanted us to stop climb at FL260 (we had previously been cleared to FL290). I said that we had never received the call and he said 'it's no problem.' we were then cleared up to FL290 and cleared on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NEW HEADING IS ISSUED WHEN AN ACFT CLBS ABOVE THE ALT THE CTLR EXPECTED.

Narrative: PASSING THROUGH FL269, ATC CALLED AND SAID TO CHANGE HEADING TO 110 DEGS (WE WERE HEADING 080 DEGS) AND THEN SAID HE HAD WANTED US TO STOP CLB AT FL260 (WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED TO FL290). I SAID THAT WE HAD NEVER RECEIVED THE CALL AND HE SAID 'IT'S NO PROB.' WE WERE THEN CLRED UP TO FL290 AND CLRED ON COURSE.

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.