Large transport departure from den climbed to wrong altitude. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	102732
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	102732
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	102472
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Clearance was issued, copied and read back as follows, 'cleared as filed except, den 8 departure, maintain 11000', departure control frequency, 128.05, squawk XXXX.' after takeoff we were given a heading of 010 degrees and told to contact departure control. We (I) called departure control and reported our present altitude, and also that we were climbing to 11000'. Upon reaching 11000', we were then cleared to FL200, expedite through 17000'. The controller then said, 'by the way, I wanted you to remain at 10000'.' nothing more on this altitude confusion was said. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: flight crew has heard nothing further from FAA. Reporter read back clearance to climb to 11000'. Also reported on departure controller frequency with, 'climbing to one one thousand.' controller did not question any incorrect altitude readback and did not catch error until aircraft was at 11000'. Early am departure so not much traffic in area. Saw no other aircraft. Next time in and out of den he will be aware that the inbound aircraft are normally at 11000' and departure aircraft normally restr to 10000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT DEP FROM DEN CLIMBED TO WRONG ALT. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: CLRNC WAS ISSUED, COPIED AND READ BACK AS FOLLOWS, 'CLRED AS FILED EXCEPT, DEN 8 DEP, MAINTAIN 11000', DEP CTL FREQ, 128.05, SQUAWK XXXX.' AFTER TKOF WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 010 DEGS AND TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. WE (I) CALLED DEP CTL AND RPTED OUR PRESENT ALT, AND ALSO THAT WE WERE CLBING TO 11000'. UPON REACHING 11000', WE WERE THEN CLRED TO FL200, EXPEDITE THROUGH 17000'. THE CTLR THEN SAID, 'BY THE WAY, I WANTED YOU TO REMAIN AT 10000'.' NOTHING MORE ON THIS ALT CONFUSION WAS SAID. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FLT CREW HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER FROM FAA. RPTR READ BACK CLRNC TO CLB TO 11000'. ALSO RPTED ON DEP CTLR FREQ WITH, 'CLBING TO ONE ONE THOUSAND.' CTLR DID NOT QUESTION ANY INCORRECT ALT READBACK AND DID NOT CATCH ERROR UNTIL ACFT WAS AT 11000'. EARLY AM DEP SO NOT MUCH TFC IN AREA. SAW NO OTHER ACFT. NEXT TIME IN AND OUT OF DEN HE WILL BE AWARE THAT THE INBND ACFT ARE NORMALLY AT 11000' AND DEP ACFT NORMALLY RESTR TO 10000'.

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.