Air carrier medium large transport overshot altitude in climb.

Attributes
ACN	88316
Time
Date	198806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	88316
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lax center cleared us to 26000'. When we were about 24000' they cleared us direct to palmdale and up to 28000', plus a frequency change. The first officer read back the clearance and changed frequency and contacted the center on new frequency and told them we were climbing to 28000'. When we got to 26700' lax center said to level at 26000'. We told them we would have to descend back down. There was a pause and they then said climb to 35000'. Several mins went by and they said we had only been cleared to 26000'. That another aircraft was in the area at 28000' and descending to 27000'. However, he wasn't close to us. We did not have to take any evasive action. The problem was miscoms on altitude cleared to. Both parties--pilots and controllers--have to listen to readbacks and make sure that they understand each other. One person might be hearing what he wants to hear. He clears you to 28000', when he meant that another aircraft was there, or that he wanted you to fly a heading at 280 degrees. When you repeat it back, he says roger because he heard 280, but really didn't think about it as far as what you were really saying. Or, it could be the pilot doing the same thing--hearing what he wants to hear. Both sides have to pay close attention to what is being said and not take it as routine communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG OVERSHOT ALT IN CLIMB.

Narrative: LAX CENTER CLRED US TO 26000'. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 24000' THEY CLRED US DIRECT TO PALMDALE AND UP TO 28000', PLUS A FREQ CHANGE. THE F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC AND CHANGED FREQ AND CONTACTED THE CENTER ON NEW FREQ AND TOLD THEM WE WERE CLBING TO 28000'. WHEN WE GOT TO 26700' LAX CENTER SAID TO LEVEL AT 26000'. WE TOLD THEM WE WOULD HAVE TO DSND BACK DOWN. THERE WAS A PAUSE AND THEY THEN SAID CLB TO 35000'. SEVERAL MINS WENT BY AND THEY SAID WE HAD ONLY BEEN CLRED TO 26000'. THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS IN THE AREA AT 28000' AND DSNDING TO 27000'. HOWEVER, HE WASN'T CLOSE TO US. WE DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. THE PROB WAS MISCOMS ON ALT CLRED TO. BOTH PARTIES--PLTS AND CTLRS--HAVE TO LISTEN TO READBACKS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. ONE PERSON MIGHT BE HEARING WHAT HE WANTS TO HEAR. HE CLRS YOU TO 28000', WHEN HE MEANT THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS THERE, OR THAT HE WANTED YOU TO FLY A HDG AT 280 DEGS. WHEN YOU REPEAT IT BACK, HE SAYS ROGER BECAUSE HE HEARD 280, BUT REALLY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WERE REALLY SAYING. OR, IT COULD BE THE PLT DOING THE SAME THING--HEARING WHAT HE WANTS TO HEAR. BOTH SIDES HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTN TO WHAT IS BEING SAID AND NOT TAKE IT AS ROUTINE COMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.