An air carrier flight crew misunderstood clearance and read it back, then began a climb until ATC no...

Attributes
ACN	579349
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon tower : sat.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	579349
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	579621
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Climbing out from mem, ATC initially instructed to level 7000 ft. Shortly thereafter, they idented numerous aircraft in area with 1 at our 10 O'clock position. Then garbled and 8000 ft, I carefully replied cleared to 8000 ft. As we climbed, ATC asked our altitude, and I replied 8000 ft. They said we were cleared to 7000 ft. We descended. WX cavu. Had traffic in sight. I will add fatigue will play a role in any upcoming violations as most are not sleeping well in view of contract changes. Supplemental information from acn 579621: this was clearly a miscom between ATC and the flight crew. We later discussed the importance of verifying all ATC clrncs anytime there is doubt about the communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLT CREW MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC AND READ IT BACK, THEN BEGAN A CLB UNTIL ATC NOTICED ERROR.

Narrative: CLBING OUT FROM MEM, ATC INITIALLY INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL 7000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY IDENTED NUMEROUS ACFT IN AREA WITH 1 AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. THEN GARBLED AND 8000 FT, I CAREFULLY REPLIED CLRED TO 8000 FT. AS WE CLBED, ATC ASKED OUR ALT, AND I REPLIED 8000 FT. THEY SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT. WE DSNDED. WX CAVU. HAD TFC IN SIGHT. I WILL ADD FATIGUE WILL PLAY A ROLE IN ANY UPCOMING VIOLATIONS AS MOST ARE NOT SLEEPING WELL IN VIEW OF CONTRACT CHANGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 579621: THIS WAS CLRLY A MISCOM BTWN ATC AND THE FLT CREW. WE LATER DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF VERIFYING ALL ATC CLRNCS ANYTIME THERE IS DOUBT ABOUT THE COM.

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.

An air carrier flight crew misunderstood clearance and read it back, then began a climb until ATC noticed error.