ATC cleared flight to wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	93451
Time
Date	198808
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	93451
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Upon first contact with ZSE after leaving sea/tac departure control, we were cleared to FL370. This seemed a bit unusual as we're usually assigned an interim altitude (FL230) until handed off to high level controller. Upon next frequency change, we checked in as climbing to FL370 and were acknowledged. Upon leaving FL345 controller asked, 'what altitude are you cleared to?' we responded, 'FL370.' he said he thought we were only cleared to FL330. We told him who had assigned us FL370 and reminded him that we had checked in with him as climbing to FL370. Controller apparently checked with previous controller and told us everything was straightened out. As an aside to this incident, our computerized flight plan called for an initial climb to FL330 with a further climb to FL370 as burnout permitted. We accepted the FL370 clearance because our weight revision during taxiout had a substantial fall off which put FL370 within reach as an initial cruise altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC CLEARED FLT TO WRONG ALT.

Narrative: UPON FIRST CONTACT WITH ZSE AFTER LEAVING SEA/TAC DEP CTL, WE WERE CLRED TO FL370. THIS SEEMED A BIT UNUSUAL AS WE'RE USUALLY ASSIGNED AN INTERIM ALT (FL230) UNTIL HANDED OFF TO HIGH LEVEL CTLR. UPON NEXT FREQ CHANGE, WE CHKED IN AS CLBING TO FL370 AND WERE ACKNOWLEDGED. UPON LEAVING FL345 CTLR ASKED, 'WHAT ALT ARE YOU CLRED TO?' WE RESPONDED, 'FL370.' HE SAID HE THOUGHT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL330. WE TOLD HIM WHO HAD ASSIGNED US FL370 AND REMINDED HIM THAT WE HAD CHKED IN WITH HIM AS CLBING TO FL370. CTLR APPARENTLY CHKED WITH PREVIOUS CTLR AND TOLD US EVERYTHING WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT. AS AN ASIDE TO THIS INCIDENT, OUR COMPUTERIZED FLT PLAN CALLED FOR AN INITIAL CLB TO FL330 WITH A FURTHER CLB TO FL370 AS BURNOUT PERMITTED. WE ACCEPTED THE FL370 CLRNC BECAUSE OUR WEIGHT REVISION DURING TAXIOUT HAD A SUBSTANTIAL FALL OFF WHICH PUT FL370 WITHIN REACH AS AN INITIAL CRUISE ALT.

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.