Narrative:

Assigned 340 degree heading on radar vector climb out from new orleans by new orleans departure. They switched us to ZHU. He gave us right turn to 030 degrees, then climb to FL230, expedite through 16000'. Passing 14000' at 3500 FPM rate of climb, ZHU said to maintain 14000'. Captain acknowledged, saying we had passed 14000', but would return to 14000'. We had reached 14800' before starting back down. Center then gave us 180 degree heading. Captain asked where our traffic was. They said 2 O'clock, 2 mi at 15000'. We never saw traffic. Controller said aircraft gave us 330 degree heading (not 030 degrees) as captain and I both understood and read back to center. When clear of traffic, controller gave us right turn to 350 degrees for vectors on course. There was an obvious misunderstanding of the assigned heading and controller did not listen to our readback that we were turning to 030 degrees.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLIMBING THROUGH 14000', ACR LGT WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 14000' DUE TO CLOSE PROX TRAFFIC AT 15000'. LGT REACHED 14800' BEFORE STARTING BACK DOWN.

Narrative: ASSIGNED 340 DEG HDG ON RADAR VECTOR CLBOUT FROM NEW ORLEANS BY NEW ORLEANS DEP. THEY SWITCHED US TO ZHU. HE GAVE US RIGHT TURN TO 030 DEGS, THEN CLB TO FL230, EXPEDITE THROUGH 16000'. PASSING 14000' AT 3500 FPM RATE OF CLB, ZHU SAID TO MAINTAIN 14000'. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED, SAYING WE HAD PASSED 14000', BUT WOULD RETURN TO 14000'. WE HAD REACHED 14800' BEFORE STARTING BACK DOWN. CENTER THEN GAVE US 180 DEG HDG. CAPT ASKED WHERE OUR TFC WAS. THEY SAID 2 O'CLOCK, 2 MI AT 15000'. WE NEVER SAW TFC. CTLR SAID ACFT GAVE US 330 DEG HDG (NOT 030 DEGS) AS CAPT AND I BOTH UNDERSTOOD AND READ BACK TO CENTER. WHEN CLR OF TFC, CTLR GAVE US RIGHT TURN TO 350 DEGS FOR VECTORS ON COURSE. THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ASSIGNED HDG AND CTLR DID NOT LISTEN TO OUR READBACK THAT WE WERE TURNING TO 030 DEGS.

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.