Altitude of 11000' never received by the flight crew or acknowledged.

Attributes
ACN	90798
Time
Date	198807
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sax airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : mex
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	90798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

We departed ewr at XA33 EDT and during climb to a cleared altitude of 10000', we received and acknowledged a clearance to 16000' and then were given a turn to northwest to follow another flight (sector liberty west 120.85). As we reached 15000', ZNY asked us if we were stopping at 15000'. We said we were cleared to 16000', but since our traffic was almost overhead, we stopped at 15000' to confirm our clearance. Center said he thought we had taken another aircraft's clearance and should have been at 11000' (we had never heard a clearance issued to maintain 11000'). We had our clearance to 16000' confirmed at this time and proceeded on course. On checking with the traffic overhead, we found he was at 17000'. I'm not sure where the misunderstanding occurred, or who erred. Shortly afterward, the next controller had a different routing than we had filed, but seemed to find our proper routing again. Too much confusion, particularly on climb out, with thunderstorms and traffic to contend with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OF 11000' NEVER RECEIVED BY THE FLT CREW OR ACKNOWLEDGED.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED EWR AT XA33 EDT AND DURING CLB TO A CLRED ALT OF 10000', WE RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO 16000' AND THEN WERE GIVEN A TURN TO NW TO FOLLOW ANOTHER FLT (SECTOR LIBERTY W 120.85). AS WE REACHED 15000', ZNY ASKED US IF WE WERE STOPPING AT 15000'. WE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 16000', BUT SINCE OUR TFC WAS ALMOST OVERHEAD, WE STOPPED AT 15000' TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC. CENTER SAID HE THOUGHT WE HAD TAKEN ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 11000' (WE HAD NEVER HEARD A CLRNC ISSUED TO MAINTAIN 11000'). WE HAD OUR CLRNC TO 16000' CONFIRMED AT THIS TIME AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. ON CHKING WITH THE TFC OVERHEAD, WE FOUND HE WAS AT 17000'. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE MISUNDERSTANDING OCCURRED, OR WHO ERRED. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE NEXT CTLR HAD A DIFFERENT ROUTING THAN WE HAD FILED, BUT SEEMED TO FIND OUR PROPER ROUTING AGAIN. TOO MUCH CONFUSION, PARTICULARLY ON CLBOUT, WITH TSTMS AND TFC TO CONTEND WITH.

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.