Wrong altitude assignment on departure climb out.

Attributes
ACN	101958
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	101958
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

SID clearance to 4000'. Upon contact with departure cleared to 5000'. While climbing through 2500' traffic advisory given at 10-11 O'clock. No altitude noted. Advisory noted by air carrier heavy in the clouds, looking.' clearance then given, 'air carrier heavy climb to 15000'.' clearance acknowledged by 'air carrier heavy climbing to 1-5-thousand, tops at 4.' readback acknowledged by, 'tops at 4, air carrier heavy, thank you.' passing 4500' captain noted traffic at 12 O'clock, 3-5 mi converging. While passing through 6500' traffic passed off the right 500' below and with 1/2-1 mi latitude sep. As traffic passed captain questioned departure. Departure stated, 'air carrier heavy, you were cleared to 5000'.' departure was reminded of the 15000' clearance and asked to pull the tapes. All 3 crew members definitely heard the '1-5-thousand' clearance given and acknowledged. 15000' is the normal altitude given on this departure. 5000' is not a usual altitude clearance and may be the reason for the mix-up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ALT ASSIGNMENT ON DEP CLIMB OUT.

Narrative: SID CLRNC TO 4000'. UPON CONTACT WITH DEP CLRED TO 5000'. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 2500' TFC ADVISORY GIVEN AT 10-11 O'CLOCK. NO ALT NOTED. ADVISORY NOTED BY ACR HVY IN THE CLOUDS, LOOKING.' CLRNC THEN GIVEN, 'ACR HVY CLB TO 15000'.' CLRNC ACKNOWLEDGED BY 'ACR HVY CLBING TO 1-5-THOUSAND, TOPS AT 4.' READBACK ACKNOWLEDGED BY, 'TOPS AT 4, ACR HVY, THANK YOU.' PASSING 4500' CAPT NOTED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 3-5 MI CONVERGING. WHILE PASSING THROUGH 6500' TFC PASSED OFF THE RIGHT 500' BELOW AND WITH 1/2-1 MI LAT SEP. AS TFC PASSED CAPT QUESTIONED DEP. DEP STATED, 'ACR HVY, YOU WERE CLRED TO 5000'.' DEP WAS REMINDED OF THE 15000' CLRNC AND ASKED TO PULL THE TAPES. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS DEFINITELY HEARD THE '1-5-THOUSAND' CLRNC GIVEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED. 15000' IS THE NORMAL ALT GIVEN ON THIS DEP. 5000' IS NOT A USUAL ALT CLRNC AND MAY BE THE REASON FOR THE MIX-UP.

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.