An MD80 flight crew didn't hear an amended altitude change from ZDC ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	525840
Time
Date	200110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ckb.vor
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29500 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude 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 : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	525840
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

ATC had us climbing to 31000 ft. As we were climbing through 29500 ft ATC asked us what altitude we were assigned. We said 31000 ft and he responded that didn't we get his amended revised altitude of 28000 ft? We said we did not. He said 'did you read back 2800 ft.' we said we did not. (Someone else must have read back 28000 ft.) he then said no problem but that he was going to check it out. We did not read back any clearance except our original of 31000 ft, and we also never heard him on our frequency ask anyone to amend altitude to 28000 ft. He must have said it on another frequency and someone else answered him mistakenly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW DIDN'T HEAR AN AMENDED ALT CHANGE FROM ZDC ARTCC.

Narrative: ATC HAD US CLBING TO 31000 FT. AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 29500 FT ATC ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE ASSIGNED. WE SAID 31000 FT AND HE RESPONDED THAT DIDN'T WE GET HIS AMENDED REVISED ALT OF 28000 FT? WE SAID WE DID NOT. HE SAID 'DID YOU READ BACK 2800 FT.' WE SAID WE DID NOT. (SOMEONE ELSE MUST HAVE READ BACK 28000 FT.) HE THEN SAID NO PROB BUT THAT HE WAS GOING TO CHK IT OUT. WE DID NOT READ BACK ANY CLRNC EXCEPT OUR ORIGINAL OF 31000 FT, AND WE ALSO NEVER HEARD HIM ON OUR FREQ ASK ANYONE TO AMEND ALT TO 28000 FT. HE MUST HAVE SAID IT ON ANOTHER FREQ AND SOMEONE ELSE ANSWERED HIM MISTAKENLY.

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.