Interfacility coordination failed between controllers at ZOB and controllers at ZAU.

Attributes
ACN	562678
Time
Date	200210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc artcc : zob.artcc tower : gso.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 10 controller radar : 7.5
ASRS Report	562678
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other controllerb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5400 vertical : 1400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was en route to mdt airport. Initial requested altitude was FL330. ZAU sector 49, D side, called ZAU, sector 82, and requested. Air carrier X be stopped FL290. FL290 was entered as a 'hard' altitude by ZAU, sector 82, and the handoff was then directed to ZOB sector 46. Upon check-in, the altitude climbing to was missed, which was FL330 because ZAU sector 82 controller never actually issued FL290 as per requested. A few mins later, air carrier X was passing under a J328 in the sector above at FL310 and the conflict alert activated. Air carrier X was asked to 'verify level FL290' and responded, 'we're climbing to FL330.' air carrier X was then descended to FL290. Because FL290 was in the data block, the mode C did not catch up and show the aircraft 'high' until FL294. Supplemental information from acn 562691: passing FL300, climbing to FL330, ATC called and asked if we were level at FL290. We replied that we had been cleared to FL330 by the previous controller. The new controller said he had us only cleared to FL290. We descended to FL290.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INTERFAC COORD FAILED BTWN CTLRS AT ZOB AND CTLRS AT ZAU.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ENRTE TO MDT ARPT. INITIAL REQUESTED ALT WAS FL330. ZAU SECTOR 49, D SIDE, CALLED ZAU, SECTOR 82, AND REQUESTED. ACR X BE STOPPED FL290. FL290 WAS ENTERED AS A 'HARD' ALT BY ZAU, SECTOR 82, AND THE HDOF WAS THEN DIRECTED TO ZOB SECTOR 46. UPON CHK-IN, THE ALT CLBING TO WAS MISSED, WHICH WAS FL330 BECAUSE ZAU SECTOR 82 CTLR NEVER ACTUALLY ISSUED FL290 AS PER REQUESTED. A FEW MINS LATER, ACR X WAS PASSING UNDER A J328 IN THE SECTOR ABOVE AT FL310 AND THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. ACR X WAS ASKED TO 'VERIFY LEVEL FL290' AND RESPONDED, 'WE'RE CLBING TO FL330.' ACR X WAS THEN DSNDED TO FL290. BECAUSE FL290 WAS IN THE DATA BLOCK, THE MODE C DID NOT CATCH UP AND SHOW THE ACFT 'HIGH' UNTIL FL294. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 562691: PASSING FL300, CLBING TO FL330, ATC CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE LEVEL AT FL290. WE REPLIED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL330 BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. THE NEW CTLR SAID HE HAD US ONLY CLRED TO FL290. WE DSNDED TO FL290.

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.