A missed incorrect readback results in an altitude overshoot on the newark seven departure.

Attributes
ACN	562758
Time
Date	200210
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : newark 5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	562758
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Newark 7 departure, runway 4L. After takeoff prior to reaching 4 DME on SID ATC directed turn to '220 degree heading and climb to 8000 ft.' I read back '8000 ft.' passing through 7000 ft ATC advised we were cleared to '6000 ft,' and asked us to maintain 7000 ft. No traffic conflict, no additional words from ATC. Rest of departure normal. Problem arose when ATC did not catch an 'incorrect' readback. Contributing factors: numerous ATC calls to various aircraft and rapid fire xmissions, with barely enough time to speak between calls to various airplanes. Newark 7 is extremely busy SID. If allowed to fly it, it becomes more so when ATC issues numerous vectors and altitude hold downs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MISSED INCORRECT READBACK RESULTS IN AN ALT OVERSHOOT ON THE NEWARK SEVEN DEP.

Narrative: NEWARK 7 DEP, RWY 4L. AFTER TKOF PRIOR TO REACHING 4 DME ON SID ATC DIRECTED TURN TO '220 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 8000 FT.' I READ BACK '8000 FT.' PASSING THROUGH 7000 FT ATC ADVISED WE WERE CLRED TO '6000 FT,' AND ASKED US TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. NO TFC CONFLICT, NO ADDITIONAL WORDS FROM ATC. REST OF DEP NORMAL. PROB AROSE WHEN ATC DID NOT CATCH AN 'INCORRECT' READBACK. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NUMEROUS ATC CALLS TO VARIOUS ACFT AND RAPID FIRE XMISSIONS, WITH BARELY ENOUGH TIME TO SPEAK BTWN CALLS TO VARIOUS AIRPLANES. NEWARK 7 IS EXTREMELY BUSY SID. IF ALLOWED TO FLY IT, IT BECOMES MORE SO WHEN ATC ISSUES NUMEROUS VECTORS AND ALT HOLD DOWNS.

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.