Narrative:

During initial climb out of mdw, restr to 2000 ft. On check in with departure control, altitude assignment given was 12000 ft (callsign broken). PF captain: thought I heard, 'company (our number).' PNF first officer. As the PNF was trying to confirm callsign and altitude, the FAA inspector, in the jumpseat in a firm and loud voice said, 'departure said, company (our number) climb to 12000 ft.' PF started a shallow climb above 2000 ft. Passing 2500 ft departure said 'company (our number), cleared to 3000 ft.' flight proceeded to mci without incident. No comment was made by departure concerning altitude deviation. Obviously, the first officer saved the day. The inappropriate input by the FAA inspector could have caused a rapid climb above 3000 ft, possibly causing loss of altitude separation in a very busy environment. Supplemental information from acn 568590: while on the initial climb out of chicago with a clearance altitude of 2000 ft, an aircraft was given a clearance to 12000 ft. I wasn't sure, but didn't think the climb clearance was for us and began to ask ATC to clarify, at which time, the FAA inspector, in a loud voice, said that the 12,000 ft clearance was for us, in part blocking and interrupting our request. We received a clarification from ATC at which time I asked the captain what he thought he had heard. He said he heard 12000 ft, but because of his unconvincing tone, I again asked ATC for clarification. (I think the captain recognized the clearance was not for us because he shallowed his climb rate.) ATC did respond this time with '..., the 12000 ft was not for you, maintain 3000 ft.' by the time this was clarified, we were passing through 2500 ft. No TCASII traffic noticed and no 'red flags' from ATC, however, this could have been solved immediately on my initial try if the inspector would have remained silent and let us do our job of consulting ATC for clearance information. This inspector was perhaps not too familiar with mdw or our company, but should have known that there are/were many call signs on the frequency leading to confusion if not completely paying attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 DEPARTS ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL CLBOUT OF MDW, RESTR TO 2000 FT. ON CHK IN WITH DEP CTL, ALT ASSIGNMENT GIVEN WAS 12000 FT (CALLSIGN BROKEN). PF CAPT: THOUGHT I HEARD, 'COMPANY (OUR NUMBER).' PNF FO. AS THE PNF WAS TRYING TO CONFIRM CALLSIGN AND ALT, THE FAA INSPECTOR, IN THE JUMPSEAT IN A FIRM AND LOUD VOICE SAID, 'DEP SAID, COMPANY (OUR NUMBER) CLB TO 12000 FT.' PF STARTED A SHALLOW CLB ABOVE 2000 FT. PASSING 2500 FT DEP SAID 'COMPANY (OUR NUMBER), CLRED TO 3000 FT.' FLT PROCEEDED TO MCI WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO COMMENT WAS MADE BY DEP CONCERNING ALT DEV. OBVIOUSLY, THE FO SAVED THE DAY. THE INAPPROPRIATE INPUT BY THE FAA INSPECTOR COULD HAVE CAUSED A RAPID CLB ABOVE 3000 FT, POSSIBLY CAUSING LOSS OF ALT SEPARATION IN A VERY BUSY ENVIRONMENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 568590: WHILE ON THE INITIAL CLB OUT OF CHICAGO WITH A CLRNC ALT OF 2000 FT, AN ACFT WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO 12000 FT. I WASN'T SURE, BUT DIDN'T THINK THE CLB CLRNC WAS FOR US AND BEGAN TO ASK ATC TO CLARIFY, AT WHICH TIME, THE FAA INSPECTOR, IN A LOUD VOICE, SAID THAT THE 12,000 FT CLRNC WAS FOR US, IN PART BLOCKING AND INTERRUPTING OUR REQUEST. WE RECEIVED A CLARIFICATION FROM ATC AT WHICH TIME I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD HEARD. HE SAID HE HEARD 12000 FT, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS UNCONVINCING TONE, I AGAIN ASKED ATC FOR CLARIFICATION. (I THINK THE CAPT RECOGNIZED THE CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US BECAUSE HE SHALLOWED HIS CLB RATE.) ATC DID RESPOND THIS TIME WITH '..., THE 12000 FT WAS NOT FOR YOU, MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' BY THE TIME THIS WAS CLARIFIED, WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 2500 FT. NO TCASII TFC NOTICED AND NO 'RED FLAGS' FROM ATC, HOWEVER, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED IMMEDIATELY ON MY INITIAL TRY IF THE INSPECTOR WOULD HAVE REMAINED SILENT AND LET US DO OUR JOB OF CONSULTING ATC FOR CLRNC INFO. THIS INSPECTOR WAS PERHAPS NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH MDW OR OUR COMPANY, BUT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE ARE/WERE MANY CALL SIGNS ON THE FREQ LEADING TO CONFUSION IF NOT COMPLETELY PAYING ATTN.

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.