<< >> NASA ASRS Report 93861, September 1988

ARTCC controller cleared wrong aircraft to FL270 and then corrected his mistake. Aircraft allowed to proceed at wrong altitude for direction of flight.

Attributes
ACN	93861
Time
Date	198809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bae
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	93861
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cleared to climb to FL290. At this time I compared FL290 with computer flight plan best altitude and considered requesting FL330. First officer set FL290 in altitude alerter. As we passed FL277 controller asked altitude and said we were cleared to FL270 only. We levelled at FL280 and remained there for the remainder of the cruise portion of the flight while a company flight passed us at FL290. To my knowledge there was no conflict. We were slowed to allow him to pass. Later we were cleared via direct crl. When we advised that we flight planned over svm the controller responded, 'I've got you all mixed up today.' he was correct.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR CLEARED WRONG ACFT TO FL270 AND THEN CORRECTED HIS MISTAKE. ACFT ALLOWED TO PROCEED AT WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT.

Narrative: CLRED TO CLB TO FL290. AT THIS TIME I COMPARED FL290 WITH COMPUTER FLT PLAN BEST ALT AND CONSIDERED REQUESTING FL330. F/O SET FL290 IN ALT ALERTER. AS WE PASSED FL277 CTLR ASKED ALT AND SAID WE WERE CLRED TO FL270 ONLY. WE LEVELLED AT FL280 AND REMAINED THERE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CRUISE PORTION OF THE FLT WHILE A COMPANY FLT PASSED US AT FL290. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. WE WERE SLOWED TO ALLOW HIM TO PASS. LATER WE WERE CLRED VIA DIRECT CRL. WHEN WE ADVISED THAT WE FLT PLANNED OVER SVM THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'I'VE GOT YOU ALL MIXED UP TODAY.' HE WAS CORRECT.

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.