F900 crew was accused of an altitude deviation after 2 controllers did not catch a readback error.

Attributes
ACN	587977
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhb.airport
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bgr.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	587977
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

Location: bhb. Time of day: XA00. Flight conditions: VMC. Day prior to takeoff from bhb, a route change clearance was issued at the end of the runway. I read back that we were cleared to 17000 ft. ATC did not correct this. After takeoff, I reported airborne passing 2000 ft climbing to 17000 ft, again ATC acknowledged without correction. After passing 11000 ft, ATC called stating that we were cleared only to 10000 ft. We then descended to 10000 ft and ATC asked that we call them to discuss this issue. Talking to the supervisor at bangor approach he stated that my clearance was to the 10000 ft and that the controller did not catch the readback error. The supervisor also stated that the controller did not catch error on the after-takeoff call stating a climb of 17000 ft. The supervisor also stated that the controller issuing the 10000 ft clearance, my readback of 17000 ft as well as the after-takeoff call climbing to 17000 ft is on the ATC tape recording. The supervisor stated that he was submitting a operational deviation report but was not sure that I could have done to prevent this thing from happening again and he acknowledged the controllers not correcting the error on 2 separate occasions. The other pilot received the original clearance but was on the other radio when ATC issued the revised clearance. We reprogrammed the navigation equipment and discussed the altitude difference, but didn't think it was unusual. Thinking back, an altitude change is slightly unusual and greater care should be used to ensure correctness. The opportunity to correct this problem was in the controller's hands by listening to the readback. ATC should not issue revised clrncs at the end of the runway. Usually these changes are minor and only add confusion to a high workload environment. The crew has to reprogram the FMS the altitude alerters and rebrief. They also have to look up new routing on charts which encourages taking short cuts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F900 CREW WAS ACCUSED OF AN ALTDEV AFTER 2 CTLRS DID NOT CATCH A READBACK ERROR.

Narrative: LOCATION: BHB. TIME OF DAY: XA00. FLT CONDITIONS: VMC. DAY PRIOR TO TKOF FROM BHB, A RTE CHANGE CLRNC WAS ISSUED AT THE END OF THE RWY. I READ BACK THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 17000 FT. ATC DID NOT CORRECT THIS. AFTER TKOF, I RPTED AIRBORNE PASSING 2000 FT CLBING TO 17000 FT, AGAIN ATC ACKNOWLEDGED WITHOUT CORRECTION. AFTER PASSING 11000 FT, ATC CALLED STATING THAT WE WERE CLRED ONLY TO 10000 FT. WE THEN DSNDED TO 10000 FT AND ATC ASKED THAT WE CALL THEM TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. TALKING TO THE SUPVR AT BANGOR APCH HE STATED THAT MY CLRNC WAS TO THE 10000 FT AND THAT THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH THE READBACK ERROR. THE SUPVR ALSO STATED THAT THE CTLR DID NOT CATCH ERROR ON THE AFTER-TKOF CALL STATING A CLB OF 17000 FT. THE SUPVR ALSO STATED THAT THE CTLR ISSUING THE 10000 FT CLRNC, MY READBACK OF 17000 FT AS WELL AS THE AFTER-TKOF CALL CLBING TO 17000 FT IS ON THE ATC TAPE RECORDING. THE SUPVR STATED THAT HE WAS SUBMITTING A OPDEV RPT BUT WAS NOT SURE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS THING FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CTLRS NOT CORRECTING THE ERROR ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE OTHER PLT RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL CLRNC BUT WAS ON THE OTHER RADIO WHEN ATC ISSUED THE REVISED CLRNC. WE REPROGRAMMED THE NAV EQUIP AND DISCUSSED THE ALT DIFFERENCE, BUT DIDN'T THINK IT WAS UNUSUAL. THINKING BACK, AN ALT CHANGE IS SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL AND GREATER CARE SHOULD BE USED TO ENSURE CORRECTNESS. THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THIS PROB WAS IN THE CTLR'S HANDS BY LISTENING TO THE READBACK. ATC SHOULD NOT ISSUE REVISED CLRNCS AT THE END OF THE RWY. USUALLY THESE CHANGES ARE MINOR AND ONLY ADD CONFUSION TO A HIGH WORKLOAD ENVIRONMENT. THE CREW HAS TO REPROGRAM THE FMS THE ALT ALERTERS AND REBRIEF. THEY ALSO HAVE TO LOOK UP NEW ROUTING ON CHARTS WHICH ENCOURAGES TAKING SHORT CUTS.

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.