ARTCC radar controller intervened during A320 climb to advise that they had overshot their assigned altitude. Flight crew were all amazed since they had set into the altitude alerter the altitude both of them thought they heard and subsequently read back to the controller.

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Attributes
ACN	542345
Time
Date	200203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rod.vortac
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	542345
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
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	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The first officer and I believe ZOB cleared our flight to FL330. The first officer read back the clearance to FL330 and I set FL330 in the FCU. Climbing through approximately FL316, ZID called and questioned our altitude. We advised that we were climbing to FL330 as cleared. ZID instructed us to descend to and maintain FL310. ZID said that we had only been cleared to FL310. ZID checked with ZOB. I believe that this was an ATC error. ATC confirmed to me it was a 'non event,' ie, no action required. Assuming this was an ATC error, my only suggestion for preventing such an error would be to emphasize confirmation of correct pilot readbacks, workload reduction for controllers and/or increased automation, ie, data-link. To prevent pilot errors, I suggest that pilots make no altitude readbacks until after the new altitude is set in the FCU/altitude alerter, ie, 'read' the numbers that are set in the FCU/altitude alerter as you make your readback!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED DURING A320 CLB TO ADVISE THAT THEY HAD OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. FLC WERE ALL AMAZED SINCE THEY HAD SET INTO THE ALT ALERTER THE ALT BOTH OF THEM THOUGHT THEY HEARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY READ BACK TO THE CTLR.

Narrative: THE FO AND I BELIEVE ZOB CLRED OUR FLT TO FL330. THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC TO FL330 AND I SET FL330 IN THE FCU. CLBING THROUGH APPROX FL316, ZID CALLED AND QUESTIONED OUR ALT. WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE CLBING TO FL330 AS CLRED. ZID INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN FL310. ZID SAID THAT WE HAD ONLY BEEN CLRED TO FL310. ZID CHKED WITH ZOB. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS AN ATC ERROR. ATC CONFIRMED TO ME IT WAS A 'NON EVENT,' IE, NO ACTION REQUIRED. ASSUMING THIS WAS AN ATC ERROR, MY ONLY SUGGESTION FOR PREVENTING SUCH AN ERROR WOULD BE TO EMPHASIZE CONFIRMATION OF CORRECT PLT READBACKS, WORKLOAD REDUCTION FOR CTLRS AND/OR INCREASED AUTOMATION, IE, DATA-LINK. TO PREVENT PLT ERRORS, I SUGGEST THAT PLTS MAKE NO ALT READBACKS UNTIL AFTER THE NEW ALT IS SET IN THE FCU/ALT ALERTER, IE, 'READ' THE NUMBERS THAT ARE SET IN THE FCU/ALT ALERTER AS YOU MAKE YOUR READBACK!

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.