Narrative:

During climb after leveling at FL290, ZOA cleared us to climb to FL330. We put FL330 in the altitude window, both pilots confirmed it. The first officer checked the VNAV page to confirm that our weight was compatible with FL330. PF pressed the button and we climbed to FL330. We were given a frequency change to 134.450 (frequencys may be reversed). We checked in and after a few seconds the controller questioned our altitude. We told him we were at FL330 and had been cleared to go there. He said we should have been at FL290 and gave us a turn and a descent. We said the previous controller had cleared us to FL330. He said the previous controller had cleared us to FL290. At this point the controller seemed a little uncomfortable and gave us a climb to FL330. We were heavy (approximately 600000 pounds) and the climb was understandably slow. He asked us to increase our climb rate twice (I think). We told him we were heavy and were doing the best we could. We returned to FL330 and that was the end of it. I immediately sent a message to dispatch and asked the ATC coordinator to check with oakland to see what happened. Dispatch sent us a message saying that there had been no loss of separation or any alarms. I don't believe this was our problem. We didn't just dream up a clearance to FL330. There was no cockpit conversation going on at this point, no distractions whatsoever. All procedures were followed perfectly, it's just that both of us feel strongly that we heard and read back FL330.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 FLT CREW THOUGHT THEY RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL330, BUT ARTCC THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY TO FL290.

Narrative: DURING CLB AFTER LEVELING AT FL290, ZOA CLRED US TO CLB TO FL330. WE PUT FL330 IN THE ALT WINDOW, BOTH PLTS CONFIRMED IT. THE FO CHKED THE VNAV PAGE TO CONFIRM THAT OUR WT WAS COMPATIBLE WITH FL330. PF PRESSED THE BUTTON AND WE CLBED TO FL330. WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO 134.450 (FREQS MAY BE REVERSED). WE CHKED IN AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE AT FL330 AND HAD BEEN CLRED TO GO THERE. HE SAID WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT FL290 AND GAVE US A TURN AND A DSCNT. WE SAID THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD CLRED US TO FL330. HE SAID THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD CLRED US TO FL290. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR SEEMED A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE AND GAVE US A CLB TO FL330. WE WERE HVY (APPROX 600000 LBS) AND THE CLB WAS UNDERSTANDABLY SLOW. HE ASKED US TO INCREASE OUR CLB RATE TWICE (I THINK). WE TOLD HIM WE WERE HVY AND WERE DOING THE BEST WE COULD. WE RETURNED TO FL330 AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT. I IMMEDIATELY SENT A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH AND ASKED THE ATC COORDINATOR TO CHK WITH OAKLAND TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. DISPATCH SENT US A MESSAGE SAYING THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OR ANY ALARMS. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WAS OUR PROB. WE DIDN'T JUST DREAM UP A CLRNC TO FL330. THERE WAS NO COCKPIT CONVERSATION GOING ON AT THIS POINT, NO DISTRACTIONS WHATSOEVER. ALL PROCS WERE FOLLOWED PERFECTLY, IT'S JUST THAT BOTH OF US FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE HEARD AND READ BACK FL330.

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.